Cyril Ritchard

My background may be common, but I have specialised in elegance.

(photo kidnapped from hat-archive)

God bless John Waters for bringing this quote to my ears.

All About Eve

Last night Bishop and I skipped out of work early and headed across the bridge to the Main Line. At 7 o'clock we settled in to our seats at The Bryn Mawr Film Institute to watch a 35mm print of Bishop's favourite film, All About Eve. Bishop showed great restraint; he only said about half of the film's lines along with the characters. I absolutely adore the Bryn Mawr Theatre and the fabulous films they continue to show there - both classic, cult, and current. To see Ms. Davis on the big screen was without a doubt, a sight to behold.

Women in Trouble

Found a scrap of paper the other day that says:

What you've done before doesn't count. It's what you're going to do from now on.

Apparently it is from the film Women in Trouble of which I remember absolutely nothing about except that Adrianne Palicki's hair was divine. I'm glad I wrote this line down because it's pretty awesome.

Best Weekend Ritual

It's quite simple, really, but my favourite thing to do on weekends is to spend it alone. Me, in my undies and wifebeater, curled up in the recliner I inherited from my grandparents, watching a television series that I picked up at the library and being totally at peace. On the end table is a glass of Martinelli's Apple Cider because it's fabulous, and either a giant bowl of fresh fruit or, ideally, some margherita pizza. Most recently on the telly I've watched Community season two, Mad Men season three, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman season one, and Boardwalk Empire season one. I tend to multi-task, so while the shows are on I tend to write and do a little work, or keep up my correspondence with my fantastic niece, Isabella and my cousin Emily. It is there under a giant fuzzy blanket where I am truly relaxed and at ease and laugh the loudest. Probably 'cause no one's watching. Sadly, it will be another three weeks til my schedule will allow a weekend such as this, but luckily I am an incredibly patient woman.

High Road to China

When I was six years old my mother and my Aunt Berne took me to see High Road to China in the theatre. From the very first frame I was completely in awe. It's such a beautiful picture and everything about it carried me away. From the music by John Barry to the majestic countrysides and continents that I'd never seen before; to watching the bi-planes swoop past snow covered mountains, or the clothes worn by Bess Armstrong, the warmth of Jack Weston as Struts, and of course, Tom Selleck - my crush at the time.

But the most remarkable moment in the entire film was the gorgeous statement: The oxen are slow, but the earth is patient. There is so much comfort in those words that even on this dreariest of afternoons, I feel a little better and begin to fill with hope. All these years later, it's still one of my faves.

(Post Script - There's a fantastic breakdown of the film and why it holds up so well and stands on its on against other adventure flicks on denofgeek.)

An Exaltation of Larks

A Host of Angels
A Plague of Locusts
A Murder of Crows
A Gam of Whales
A Skulk of Foxes
A Crash of Rhinoceroes
A Siege of Herons
A Rag of Colts
An Ostentation of Peacocks
A Bouquet of Pheasants
An Unkindness of Ravens
A Murmuration of Starlings
A Parliament of Owls
A Melody of Harpists
A Rage of Maidens
An Incredulity of Cuckholds
A Worship of Writers
A Trance of Lovers
A Float of Dancers (female)
A Flight of Dancers (male)
A Magnum of Hitmen
A Pallor of Night Students
A Clutch of Second Thoughts

~Thank you, James Lipton. Your book was the only light in a truly crummy weekend.

Fonzie's Make Out Music

(photo kidnapped from amazon)

I love, love, love, the Nick at Nite albums that Rhino Records put out. I have about five of them - Donna Reed's Dinner Party being one of my favourites to play for any soiree - and I'm in the market to get more. I'm trying to be better about saving money, but I think I really must have Fonzie's Make Out Music. Look at the track listing! It's ideal for some red-hot necking on the couch in the front parlour.

1. Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino

2. Only You (And You Alone) - The Platters

3. Since I Fell For You - Lenny Welch

4. Love Potion #9 - The Clovers

5. Since I Don't Have You - The Skyliners

6. This Magic Moment - Jay & The Americans

7. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos

8. Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles

9. Goodnight My Love (Pleasant Dreams) - The McGuire Sisters

10. Young Love - Tab Hunter

11. Blue Velvet - Bobby Vinton

12. Please, Please, Please - James Brown

13. The Fonz Song - The Heyettes

My Favourite Songbook

Alanis Morissette - Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)
Ella Fitzgerald - Something's Gotta Give
James Taylor - It's Only a Paper Moon
Dianne Reeves - One For My Baby
Michael Bublé - The Way You Look Tonight
Frank Sinatra - Let's Face the Music and Dance
Etta James - The Man I Love
Elton John - But Not for Me
Ella Fitzgerald - Our Love Is Here to Stay
Robbie Williams & Rupert Everett
             - They Can't Take That Away From Me
Matt Damon - My Funny Valentine
Mark Salling & Amber Riley - The Lady is a Tramp
Frank Sinatra & Bono - I've Got You Under My Skin
The Temptations - Night & Day

Thank you, Fernando

I'm finally getting around to reading Fernando Pessoa's The Book of Disquiet that Bryan told me about back in 2006. Opening the book, a sheet of stickers fell out, followed by a random ten dollar bill, and finally a teeny print-out of one of Bryan's emails. The end of his letters is always the highlight:

...so i do truly miss the conversations we would have and the humor you would inject into the day...even when you were at your maddest you always had a way of saying something so damn funny i would shit just a little bit in my pants...so thank you so much for that...you are an amazing hero to have...with a bearded love...

Best Reason to Be Happy

Freedom. Free to leave my house when I want, free to have a job equal to that of my male counterpoints, free to speak what I feel, think, and believe in the language that I choose, and free to keep company with whomever I wish. Watching Martha Marcy May Marlene and Mad Men this weekend reminds me of how incredibly lucky I am and just how much I take my freedom for granted.

Veckatimest

(photo kidnapped from discosalt)

There is not a single song on this album that is not utter perfection. Veckatimest takes you away, it melts around your heart like velvet and it simply makes you feel grand. It's hard to select favourites, but I am certainly a wee bit happier and smile broadly when the track for I Live With You begins. Usually when the last song, Foreground, another brilliantly beautiful song, comes to a close, I let my cd player loop back to Southern Point and relive the happiness all over again.

Best Legal Route to Joy

The first thing that came to mind when thinking on this post title is one simple word: Marina. No one in my life knows me like she does. We are two halves and have been thick as thieves since 1997 when she called me at my parents' house and asked if I would be her Confirmation Sponsor. Marina, eight years my junior, was always one of my cutest and sweetest cousins and I always adored her, even though we rarely saw one another. From that phone call until today she remains the closest person in my life. We've had our down moments (usually my fault) but no matter what, Marina has always pushed me to communicate and work through things and it has truly made our relationship stronger. She's never given up on me; she believes in me and is always available with advice and encouragement.
Many of the best times in my life have been spent in her company doing very little. Whether it's eating pizza in a parking lot, talking on her sofa in Stratford or in Philly, driving around singing to Ani DiFranco, Phil Collins, or Fiona Apple, to watching The OC season 1 or Steve Martin in Parenthood or any number of hilarious films. And of course, laughing incessantly. No one makes me laugh like Marina and every moment we have together is easy and real and purely filled with a joy that should be bottled.

St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow

Purchased this lovely photograph from dawnandross on etsy a few weeks back. It's teeny tiny in size but I'm simply mad about the pigeons in the foreground and the blur of ones in motion.

Million Dollar Baby

I am utterly convinced that my nephew's cuteness could cure cancer and end world hunger. He is the poster child for joy and adoration.

(foto by Thomas J.)

The Ninth Configuration

One of the most poignant moments in one of my absolute favourite films was between Kane and Cutshaw on the subject of the existence of a God. Kane starts:

You're convinced that God is dead because there's evil in the world.

Correct.

Then why don't you think he's alive because of the goodness in the world?

It's the perfect response to an age old question that is regurgitated time and time again, mostly whenever harm comes to an innocent child. You hear things on the news that rattle you and make you wonder about the core of humanity and is it evil or merely misguided? If a supreme being does in fact exist, why would such a being allow terrible things to happen. I find, that taking the time to think of the extraordinary goodness in humankind will far outweigh the evil that we are faced with time and time again.

Grounds for Sculpture with Isabella

Ash's View From Above

This is a photo that my niece took on her way to Florida for her Senior Year trip. It's very trippy because it's hard to tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins.

Stone Bridge River Duje

(photo kidnapped from tangledwing)

i ♥ huckabees

...when you get the blanket thing you can relax because everything you could ever want or be, you already have and are.

(photo kidnapped from movie-shop.us)

Best Guilty Pleasure

Guilty pleasures are wonderful, aren't they? Happiness and shame all rolled into one. I had actually never heard of the term Guilty Pleasure until Bishop first mentioned it to me in the back kitchen in Summer 2001. We had the radio on and Sugar Ray's When It's Over came on. It needs to be stated that Bishop is and always has been, a music snob, and, as far as he was concerned, Sugar Ray was just a silly pop band. However, Sugar Ray broke through his icy demeanor and as soon as Mark McGrath started to sing Bish closed his eyes, smiled and said, "Oh....this is such a guilty pleasure."

 
So for me, guilty pleasures have always been tied to music. That being said, my ultimate guilty pleasure is Michael Bolton's How Am I Supposed to Live Without You. Great God, I have listened to that song on repeat for days. I love it like I love chocolate cake. I have only admitted this to maybe three people and each one has groaned and questioned with a bit of disgust, "You? Michael Bolton?? WHY?" One even had to seriously rethink our friendship, and she doesn't call or email much, so maybe she couldn't handle my admission. No matter what anyone else believes - this is an incredible song and I utterly adore it as well as the guilt that goes along with listening to it alone at night with the windows rolled up.

Ominous Cloud Against Philadelphia Sky

I snapped this out the window of Mama Rose's Buick on June 2nd. That one cloud that's dead center looks so unbelievably fake. Oh how I love my city - from any angle.

Candy Says

It's about Candy Darling-and trying to see things from that point of view. But it's also about something more profound and universal, a universal feeling I think all of us have at some point. We look in the mirror and we don't like what we see. All of us have said at some point 'I wish I was different. I wish I had curly hair, or straight hair.' Whatever. I don't know a person alive who doesn't feel that way. That's what the song is really about-and not only in looks, but in what you require."

~Lou Reed
(copied from my college journal 1996)

(photo kidnapped from rottentomatoes)

Severed Head on a Tree on 295 Southbound

Driving past this I did a complete double take. Two weeks after that I finally had to pull over next to the guardrail and snap this picture. Only in New Jersey.

By the Fireplace in Lakewood, WA

I ordered a book from a shop in Washington State and between the pages I found this photograph dated January of 2000. Oh how I wish I knew their names...