C.J. Sansom- Dissolution. A Tudor mystery. And it's not as cheesy as it sounds, I promise. I couldn't bring myself to read Wolf Hall because having read (and still do) countless of Tudor history books I thought I was all Boleyned out, but this one is different. Mainly because it's not about court life at all.
Music
Cowboy Junkies- Sweet Jane.
Yes, that old thing. The funny thing is that after hearing it yesterday on the radio in my car I went on iTune to get it, only to realize that I've had it forever. What my playlist was missing apparently, was the Velvet Underground original (how did that happen?). All fixed now.
TV
Project Runway. I've missed Tim Gunn.
Perfume
Neela Vermeire- Pichola. A sexy tuberose if there ever was one.
Makeup
Light colors on the lid and minimal eyeliner. Not my typical thing, but it's fun.
Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
It's the dog days of summer dressing. I'm starting to bore myself with my dresses and hats.
Guilty Pleasure
Not for the first time, reading until all hours and then sleeping in. I'm having an easier time concentrating at night with no distractions.
Food
The husband took a cooking class at the Natural Gourmet Institute, which inspired him to experiment with his recipes. I'm enjoying it greatly.
Bane
Insects. All of the creepy crawlers in the Tri-State area have conspired to suck my blood and give me allergic skin reactions. I'm not amused.
Joy
Home. It's where everything I love is.
Anticipation
spending time with my niece and nephew (They're seven and three).
Wishlist
A calico kitten.
Random Thought
That hair stylist who criticized Duchess Kate for showing gray roots should be locked up in the Tower. And not where the crown jewels are kept.
How are you doing? Please share your recommendations, ideas, and thoughts.
Art: Will Barnet- The Reader, 1979
I have an original Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions CD that was never unwrapped that I don't know what to do with. I did a recent clear out of my stuff and was going to bring it and a bunch of other CD's to a place that buys that stuff and will probably get like a quarter for it. I have greys in my brown hair and an constantly tired of people mentioning that I look young and it gives away my age. I have had hair stylists say, "You have gray hair!", in a surprised way and then offer to dye my hair. I feel like saying, "Oh really, I didn't notice I've had that for the last ten years and my hair is still over ninety percent brown and don't want to dump chemicals on my head to cover the less than ten percent gray to conform to your idea of beauty." So, I feel for Katherine, who by the way has one of the best heads of hair I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteCDs... There are several boxes in our basement full of them. We transferred everything to digital and no longer buy new ones except at the rare concert. I do miss the vinyl covers with lyric sheets and everything else.
DeleteBook
ReplyDeleteTransformer - The Complete Lou Reed Story by Victor Bockris
Music
Pet Shop Boys: Vocal (going to see them live tomorrow!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNR8gQAoYCs
Perfume
vintage Jean Patou Sublime
Makeup
Classic red lips & nails
Food
Greek salad
Joy
19th wedding anniversary
Anticipation
Flow Festival (in addition to Pet Shop Boys will see & hear Belle and Sebastian, Róisín Murphy, Beck, and Florence + The Machine...)
Tigrushka, congrats on your 19th! Our 19th wedding anniversary is coming on September 4th. It's a true joy.
DeleteThanks, Gaia, and congrats to you, too! It is indeed.
DeleteSansom's Shardlake series is excellent I recently finished the last one. Would recommend them all ☺
ReplyDeleteJo, I have every intention to read all of them!
DeleteI certainly agree with your Random Thought. That fellow must have needed something to criticize that day.
ReplyDeleteMarsha, I know! It boggles the mind.
DeleteOn Sweet Jane: I just love the live version "Intro/Sweet Jane" from Lou Reed Rock N Roll Animal. The "Intro" portion has some guitar work that I find absolutely thrilling. And - really dating myself here but who cares!
ReplyDeleteNJ, we're all happily dating ourselves here :) I also love Lou Reed's version.
DeleteBook: Nancy Martin: A Little Night Murder
ReplyDeleteMusic: Lots of Spanish guitar. It goes with the dry, hot weather we've been having--that and a glass of chilled Sangría :-)
TV: Master Chef, America's Got Talent, and Project Runway. Summer seems to be the time for competitions.
Perfume: Tom Ford's Noir Pour Femme. It opens with a blast of cinnamon but by the time I've completed dressing, it has mellowed out to a delicate, spicy sweet scent. I get lots of complements on it.
Makeup: I purchased some Clé de Peau Fall items this week and have enjoyed exploring them; particularly the two eyeshadow quads.
Frequently Worn Outfit/Item: Sunhat, sunglasses, and lots of SPF.
Guilty Pleasure: Judge Judy! I've been taking a friend to some medical appointments and have about an hour to hang around the waiting room. The TV is set to Judge Judy. What a character!
Food: Does that Sangría I mentioned under Music count? It does have fruit ;-)
Bane: None so far
Joy: Life itself. I have so much to be thankful for that gives me such joy.
Anticipation: El Niño. Hopefully it will bring relief from this epic drought.
Wishlist: A new carryon. I still haven't made the effort to go out and look for one.
Random Thought: Why do people get so worked up about grey hair? After all, it's just another hair color. Just check out all the silver foxes on Pinterest the next time someone tells you that you should color it. Grey is Great! Silver is Stunning!
Eileen, I wish you lots and lots and lots of rain. And thank you for always inspiring me on all fronts.
DeleteOh, the Lou Reed version of Sweet Jane (and most other things) is so great. Thanks for reminding me to listen to it. I've got it on a CD...well, yeah, and on vinyl, too. Dating myself, as NJ said. :)
ReplyDeleteNot-so-guilty pleasure: after moving and having most of my things in boxes for two months, I was JOYFULLY reunited with my perfumes. I'd kept out a bottle of Hadrien for the move (reformulated tho it is, it's still pretty perfect during high summer), but I never imagined I'd be without all the others for so long. I missed them so. Now I'm wearing 3 or 4 a day: when one starts to fade, I spritz another!
The last time we moved I had most of my collection in boxes for three or foour days. It was enough to drive me crazy. All I had with me was the JARs and a Tom Ford mini set. You'd think that should be more than enough.
DeleteI read "All I had with me was the JARs and a Tom Ford mini set"--and yes, my first thought was, Hey, not bad! But you're right: it's not enough. Having a large collection isn't about owning a lot of perfume, it's about (well, many things, but in particular) having just the right scent at hand in the moment. When you have that, life is so much better. And getting reunited with your collection after a few days/weeks/months is glorious. Like seeing old friends--like a high school reunion! (Minus the Giorgio and Calandre. Actually, I probably still have a bottle of Calandre--"vintage" (ie, just plain old)--somewhere.)
DeleteAs always your images are perfect! I own a Will Barnet book and it is stunning.
ReplyDeleteBook: Bolano's 2666
music: Mono band
TV: the whispers and Human
Perfume: Bruno Acampora Musc, Amouage Gold Woman.
make up: 12 highlighters on rotation. I know.
Frequently worn outfit: Black hat
Guilty pleasure: Lake Champlain Hazelnut bar.
Food: Corn and tomatoes.
Bane: Bugs (I HATE THEM)
Joy: Reading, cooking, my husband
Anticipation: The fall and my Bday
Wishlist: A black kitten with yellow eyes.
Random thought: I would like to let go of those who want to go more easily, without pain and without offense. Just letting go.
What a wise Random Thought. It takes many people a lifetime to learn that lesson and some people never learn it at all. Some people confuse letting go with giving up, but they are entirely different things. Letting go when the time has come is a profound act of courage.
Deleteawwww, thank you for your comment Eileen!
DeleteWFtG, I just bought a Will Barnet book at an estate sale where we were also incredibly fortunate to find two of his signed prints. The one above and its companion, Aurora. Our black cat, Philip, approves.
DeleteAs for your beautiful random thought, let me sign my name to it, too. Eileen, as always, is spot-on.
Book
ReplyDeleteSiddhartha Mukherjee's "The Emperor of All Maladies", a "biography" of cancer. It won the Pulitzer back in 2010 or 2011 and I've been meaning to read it ever since. I'm almost done, and the book has been simultaneously frightening and captivating.
Music
Dr. Dre's "Compton" because it's about damned time he released something new.
TV
Related to the above post, I can't wait to see "Straight Outta Compton"!
Perfume
Tons and tons of Huitieme Art Poudre de Riz - I just love it in the heat.
Makeup
Thick winged eyeliner, bright lips, hyperglowing skin. I'm waiting for it to cool down so I can return to my normal heavy eye makeup.
Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
Leggings, tight cotton tanks, and drapey thin cardigans. Cool but work-appropriate, and very sexy.
Guilty Pleasure
Lounging around in the AC, sipping tea and watching videos on YouTube.
Food
Overnight oats. All the time. I'm obsessed.
Bane
Can it just get cold already?! Also, why are mental health services so expensive?!
Joy
My guy =) and having so many great books to read.
Anticipation
Pitti. Absolutely Pitti.
Wishlist
A netbook, new bras, new headphones.
Random Thought
Why are grapes and cherries SO expensive?!
Joey, I'm also having a PG moment. Ombre Fauve is perfection. And I can't wait to hear all your Pitti stories. <3
DeleteFragrance: Tom Ford Grey Vetiver EDP a good friend sent for my 55th birthday in July. Loving it.
ReplyDeleteBook: Mastering The Art of Southern Cooking by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubert. Magnificent, magnificent book!
Food: Yogurt, yogurt, and yogurt. (See bane)
Bane: been in hospital and then nursing home with cellulitis, and on very strong antibiotics. Have finished with the antibiotics, but they, alas, have not finished with me. (See directly above).
Music: Singer-songwriter Slaid Cleves and his cd "Unsung," a masterpiece.
Joy: My newly restored KitchenAid stand mixer, just in time for the start of baking season!
Wishlist: A Thermopen by Thermoworks, and a Duluth Trading Company T shirt, (4x--but way thinner than at my peak!) in a color other than grey or black.
Over the moon: To be back home with Rosa del Gata, my books, and my computer.
Lawrence and Rosa in Ohio
Oh Lawrence! I'm so sorry about your health troubles. Glad to hear you and Lady Rosa are reunited. She must have missed you deeply.
DeleteI loved this post so much. Do you mind if I steal the idea for APJ. It's like looking into a snapshot of your life but technicolor. Such random things define who we are in that moment, really cool.
ReplyDeletePortia xx
Go ahead, Portia. I'd love to see your snapshot :) Miss you!
DeleteBook
ReplyDeleteStill working my way through the _Outlander_ series; currently in the middle of _The Fiery Cross_ (book5).
Music
Indigo Girls -- Closer to Fine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgwM1Ky228&list=RDHUgwM1Ky228
TV
"Alaskan Bush People" -- just... fascinating in so many ways
Perfume
dousing myself in Demeter's Jasmine
Makeup
Mascara and lip gloss -- at 105 degrees in south Texas, it's all I can bear recently.
Frequently Worn Outfit/Item
long, billowy skirts
Guilty Pleasure
Never gulity about pleasure, last week I discovered Kakawa in Santa Fe, and brought home enough to binge on for a good long time.
Food
home-made lavender ice cream
Bane
career politicians of any party
Joy
my children
Anticipation
the superbly exciting things my children will soon be doing -- awesomeness they have earned through their talent and hard work
Wishlist
Chanel Blue Rhythm collection -- I'll be picking it up Monday afternoon.
Random Thought
As part of the team which develops tours for vision-impaired quests, I am in need of donations for materials and Braille translations. If any generous darling is looking for a way to allow people to experience art, I would love to discuss my ideas with you. <3
Love, love Margo Timmins' voice and their version of Sweet Jane (and adore the VU's original).
ReplyDeleteTV: Have been watching lots of episodes of The Saint and It Takes a Thief and Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies while doing yoga - often with the volume off since what I'm really enjoying is the amazing set decor. Also just watched (for the umpteenth time) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - adore that house!
And had somehow missed that Project Runway had started. So glad you mentioned it!
Perfume: Balenciaga's Fleeting Moment. Somehow seems appropriate as summer winds down. But I'm always amazed at how much the scent of this one varies from bottle to bottle. The very first bottle of extrait I got was very rich and quite stunning and it got me hooked. Have bought four bottles of extrait since then and although two are quite close to the beauty of that first bottle, the other two are definitely on the nice, but quite bland and soapy side. This is not the case with any of the other Balenciagas I've collected. Can't explain it.
Food: Rose flavored lassi.
Joy: Sitting out on our back deck in the late afternoon in the shade of the trees and simply relaxing, staring up at the sky and listening to the birds and crickets in the woods that start at the edge of the lawn. This is the essence of summer bliss for me.
Random Thought: I think I've been cursed when it comes to buying vintage perfumes in sealed boxes where there are no photos of the perfume inside. I know most people have superb luck with them, but with almost every single one I've bought like this, the perfume has turned out to have completely evaporated away inside. Sigh. But on the positive side, I have consistently great luck with opened, used and grungy looking bottles where the perfume has somehow remained simply gorgeous.
Anna