Happy Halloween

I am about as excited as this model this morning. I'm going out with friends & their little kids to a Halloween neighborhood block party bash thingy tonight. It's heaps o' fun so I'll perk up. I'll be wearing this on my head. Lots of blogs I link to, here & on Giulia Geranium, have terrific Halloween posts. It's a favorite holiday; someday I'll get it together before the morning of & post my own pix.

If you're stuck for last-minute ideas for Halloween, I highly recommend Martha Stewart's site. If I could find the proper wire in the next 10 minutes, I'd make this headband. If you're all caught up & feeling smug (boo;), these pepita recipes are fast & very tasty.

Meet me back here later this week to tango. Seriously. xoxo/Susan

(Jason Wu lace mask on Vogue Italia)

Week's End - Strangers in the Night

Well, this works on a few levels. (See previous post, sleep clinics) Have a terrific weekend. There are oodles, yes oodles, of great links on this page, Julie's blog, & just keep on clicking to those blogs. Over & out, cheeky ones. (photographs from Truman Capote's Black & White Ball, 1966/via LATimes & Cup of Jo, second is by Harry Benson)

Saturday update - Liberty London Girl is having a London Fashion Week giveaway that is just wonderful. It doesn't say for UK readers only, so I left a comment. It might be though. There are several lovely Brits who visit here & I thought you would be interested. Cheers. xo

Update - the computer is acting up again . One program says, "A-OK, ma'am." The other is flashing weird red signs & I expect a siren to start up any moment. &^*I*^T^! Anyhoo, if you leave a comment & it doesn't show up, I am not ignoring them. Must take laptop to be spot-cleaned, washed, fluffed & folded on the weekend. Someone invent a Virus-Designer-Dudes-Be-Gone spray. Or something.

Sunday Shopping - Sleep in a Persian Garden

It is no secret that I suffer from sleeplessness.

I just removed 700 words of fairly amusing drivel but it needs to be edited. As the tree near my desk is being whipped to a froth, the silvery undersides of the leaves showing, & the prospect of another power outage looms, I shall simply go straight to the shopping bit. The edited drivel will magically show up (in Parts I & II) next week.

In early June I finally tired of washing out a navy silk made-by-enslaved-masses sleep mask & needing it before it dried. So I went looking for another one & did so much better by visiting Bonnie, mask-maker extraordinaire, of BibBon on etsy. Bonnie has over 100 hundred masks to choose from, including a plain black one (which is important, I think, not just for men but for minimalist moods). I chose the one above, Persian Garden.

The two adjustable straps idea is wonderful & the sewing is sturdy & tightly done. I will never ever ever buy a mass-made sleep mask again. Not only that--it was less expensive than buying that popular navy silk deal in Whole Foods, ULTA, or wherever you found yours. Yes, really. The version I chose was $12.00 (yes, you read that correctly) + shipping = $US 13.30.

Bonnie will ask your choice of inner linings & guide you to what you want/need. That's it. It arrived quickly, washes beautifully, & I feel more glamorous than I should. If I am able to begin working (for money) again soon (please), I'll climb BibBon's luxury ladder for one of the silks.

Oh & a major side benefit about these masks from my perspective: Julie the Cat cannot budge the thing off my face as she can the other. While she seems to feel this has diminished her quality of morning mischief, I could not be happier (about that, at any rate). Go visit Bonnie at BibBon.

Have a great Sunday/Monday & I'll be back soon (if the power is on). Cheers & here's to a good night's sleep.

PS: Un grand bisou, Phoenix Olivier. Bon anniversaire!

[photographs via BibBon with permission, all rights reserved; Shell Cure for Insomnia via LIFE Archives]

Face the World

No, not now. (I have 5 days of unread WPosts & NYTimes...that is unheard of.) I'm down for the count; along with Julie. (Yes, again, I"m sorrier & more disappointed than I can say without a whine-fest.) Back to bed with books, newspapers, & of course My Cinnamon Bun. Because later, being one person, marketing must be done. If it comes to it, then delivery order. And if possible, holding a pad & pen in hand...or reporter's micro-recorder. That would be a small but essential victory.

Have a whatever kind of day you wish for, mes amies. Go for it. Then come tell me all about it. (Don't forget about The Plum Plum, it's so worth it. That's what I'm using for short bits/planning lately. It helps. Beauty always does--the real kind, not the artificial/fake.)

Tuesday a.m. update: I hope to be back here tonight or tomorrow morning. Trying to update Giulia G. blog as there's an important event this weekend in DC/Silver Spring. Shall try to drag self to meeting up the street this evening. Here's the link to The Human Rights Festival (up the street...this weekend. Why, it seemed only yesterday that this was a twinkle in a local Amnesty member's eye...). Please pass the word if you are in or near or know people in the area. There's also a Facebook Fan page, here. Thanks, so much!

[photograph by motley photos via we heart it]

Here Kitty, Kitty - Two Drama Queens

Sometimes I act like a cat to get my way. (Yeah, I know.) Julie, Julie please let me give you your medicines. If looks could kill, I would've been a dead mouse last night. Oh woe. Friday Update on previous post, here.

[photograph by Roger Ballen, via Cup of Jo]

Carnevale di Venezia - Arancione

In haste & confusion I forgot to post a few photographs from Venice's Carnevale. These are also on the GG blog...orange (& one leaning to red but still...) From generous waxOr's photostream. Bella, bella. (And you are saved from more Keats & Camus. For now.)

Year's End - Goodbye to All That

Call it what you will; I say good riddance to a thoroughly disagreeable decade. Cheers!

[unattributed photograph via LIFE archives]

Week's End - You're the Top!

You're the top!
You're the Coliseum,
You're the top!
You're the Louvre Museum.
You're a melody from a symphony by Strauss...(see below)

If I were as cheeky as I seem, I would make a collage of images from Cole Porter's You're the Top & post it as a tribute to Hazel at The Clever Pup. It's her birthday. Time, copyright law, & the weather (storms, ack) prevent my descent--for now--into a life of crime. Phew. I think Hazel will let me off with this mini-tribute. Have a great evening with assorted Pups & Cool Cats.

A Skeleton Key to 'You're the Top' by Timothy Noah of Slate Magazine is amusing & must have been a lot of fun to research & write. His response, sort of, to feelings about Bloomsday. Intrigued? I was.

ciao, xo from Washington, DC

[hastily procured LIFE archival photos by David E. Scherman of 'lady at masked ball in Paris, July1946. Two of 'em. Hey, give me a break. I nearly chose a Communist Party rally in Paris. At least it looked like they had champagne.]

Back to work, sort of. A great weekend to all (& go pester the Mme. Pup). And yes, I'm sad about Farrah & Michael. Are you kidding? No matter the intervening years & academia, hey, I was growing up then, too. The first time I walked into Jersualem's Old City, the Damascus Gate entrance, you know what was playing somewhere-in-the-souk? No? I'll say anyway. Layla & then Billie Jean. Worlds collide. Weirdest damn day of my life (so far).

Running on empty

I almost went with another photograph...but I just don't see myself as Milton Berle. (LIFE's archives are diverting, wholesome fun. This is by Yale Joel/1953) Visit Hazel at The Clever Pup, read her cool stuff this week & see if you can figure out The Soapbox this evening. I can't but I still agree with her. She's very sensible; you should agree with her, too (well, I think so). buona notte

Circus of Flying Lunatics

The first of three in a set of camera-poetry by the luminous Ola Bell of England. I happened upon a photograph in weheartit, but it was an all rights reserved photo, originally on flickr. I wrote to ask her permission & she quickly answered; & could not have been more gracious. Go visit not only No. 2 & 3 in the set (I could not download them with this dodgy computer), but also her professional website, Oladios, for portfolio, bio, & more. Of course, it's quite the plus that she loves cats (& they, her). Bella Ola, indeed! [The results are always perfect published by kind permission of Ola Bell]

Carnevale di Venezia 2009 - Viola

Julie the Cat is racing around the apartment with Mardi Gras bead necklaces in her mouth. I have officially lost control of the apartment to her. (photographs by the still-uploading, busy wax0r from Venice). ciao.