Clair de Lune

There's a total eclipse of the solstice moon overnight. The last time this happened, it was 1638. Wow. I could make much of this but I'll spare one & all. This very pretty Isabel Marant boutique window in Paris by Fan & Gab. (To be fair, I saw it on this Dreaming in White Pinterest board. But just like FB, it is having some sort of mini-breakdown today.)

Week's End - Winter Lace

The house at Varykino has been transformed into a sublime white and icy landscape. [by Ken Danvers, still photographer for David Lean's Dr. Zhivago. via BFI.uk.org]

Wednesday, 30 Dec. update: I'm way under-the-weather. Off & on & unpredictable. Hence, more uninspired-than-usual images, etc. Trying to keep stuff current on the GG blog through New Year's Day. Also wondering how nervy I have to be to stretch (in my opinion) fair-use policy. Believe me, I see photographs & images that are cool &/or useful but...it seems, dare I say, wrong. Somehow. Does this keep anyone else awake or at least worried? I've asked this before...over & again on both blogs.

Snowflakes

The well-reviewed Washington Ballet's Nutcracker has only $85 tickets left. So, a still of Dance of the Snowflakes is as close as I'll get this year (after I made fun of TN forever, serves me right). The photograph is via The Washington Ballet. The snowflake doily photograph is from a DIY design*sponge post. Very clever, old-fashioned, & inexpensive. How easy? With a cat standing on my head? Reportage forthcoming.

Fields of Gold

Cringing at typing that title but it's what I thought first, second, last. I do have news, though. Last evening I received a lovely necklace ordered from Tina Tarnoff in San Francisco. I was puzzled by the large envelope/package. Opened it...she sent me her gorgeous Sylvie Guillem, No. 3 papercut as a gift. With a sweet note. I'm rarely rendered speechless. Part of me feels guilty (of course) & I feel I should give it away. But I cannot. Am I selfish or what?

Here is Talented Tina's etsy jewellry shop (she also paints & God knows what else). I highly recommend her wonderful blog Thought Patterns. Tina is exhausted as she's setting up for a new exhibit...perhaps as I type this. I want to do right by her, the necklace, & her gift - so I will post on that for the week end.

Here in Washington, President Obama & family hit the switch on the National Christmas Tree this evening. A friend sent me a photo (she thought), but I couldn't find a link to click. Then she rang from the Metro...uh, she lost her DC-cool & forgot to attach the jpeg. Hey, Maria Caterina di Perugia, it's the thought that counts!

[lacy umbrella-parasol via we heart it]

Outside, looking in...the Tony Awards

Who am I kidding? This is an excuse to put in two photographs I like. Plus, I feel bereft (yes, you heard me) that I've not been to the theatre in some time (yes, here in DC & they're great...but I feel like being in NYC tonight).

These remind me of being little, or young, or inexperienced, & being allowed just enough of a peek at the grown-ups from the landing, from backstage, from the back of a room or a hall. In but not quite. I didn't realize then that I saw so very much more from there.

It's been a long, winding week & the upcoming promises more of the same (but a party & I want to go to it. Shocked, shocked), & I know many of you are in the same swirly, twirly, not-so-great, nerve-wracking present, so maybe this will cheer you up. (Someone looking in thinks, "how does she know?" Because they've told me so...)

The awards are on tonight--so watch some of it. I'm thinking of Natasha Richardson, suddenly. And a few others, gone way too soon, who I imagine will be remembered tonight in some fashion. Gulp. But....the show must go on, really, it must. And not just on stage...eh?

xoxo, belle

[LIFE archives: Chorus girls watching the Ed Sullivan show in 1958 by Peter Stackpole & AH as Sabrina, up in her tree, looking at the party. From the film, after which my favorite cousin--I have scads--was named via scan from copy of The Audrey Hepburn Treasures: pictures & mementos in a life of style & purpose (Atria Books). Here's the link. If you love her, you should have this book. Which is how, a few years ago, a friend put it: I thought of you, you must have it now. I didn't even wrap it. What was odd about it is that I really hadn't mentioned Hepburn to her in years. xo to Sasha who never looks here.]

Spanish Manners

In a Spanish mood, flamenco chic on GG...& I love this photograph. It reminds me of a friend who grew up mostly in Madrid & Barcelona (though she is American-by-passport). Her father was, uh, a diplomat. (It took a few years to convince her that there were very few opera emergencies in 1960s Saigon, no matter her memories.) I loved her father, too, despite it all. We had shared Graham Greene Syndrome. (Dangerous place? We're there. I'm over it.) Sorry to say, he's been gone for...I don't know. Before September 11, anyway. Otherwise, I'd remember calling him in Barcelona.

I needed major protection for an event once (actually more than once). Sunglasses, a person on either side, & hauteur weren't enough & so out of my friend's Spanish closet came The Very Beautiful Thing. An enormous, black, embroidered antique flamenca's mantilla. I couldn't believe she would allow it out of the apartment. The fringe was on the floor unless I held myself just so. Which was the whole point, just so. I feel a subject coming on...or perhaps re-obsession. Now, though, time to make dinner.

[On another note: is anyone else about ready to storm the radio station where that oaf-toad Limbaugh lurks? I cannot escape him; everywhere, BBC, CBC, all the BCs. Eek. And no, a Latina judge nominee didn't bring on the Spanish stuff. Poking around GG archives did that...reruns due to same old non-health.]

[by Martha Holmes, LIFE archives, what else? ]

Lacy Window

Here comes the bride? There goes the widow? Hmmm. (photograph Steven Klein, scan from Vogue Italia, Guigno 2007)