A South Bronx Sanctuary

I admit it: I love vintage clutter. This South Bronx house, featured in this week's NYT, is especially fantastic.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/realestate/20Habitats-south-bronx.html

Elizabeth Taylor

Brave and beautiful.

My small tribute on tumblr.

I Capture the Castle...

I'm rereading I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. It's such a charming book. I would love to live in that old rundown castle with its mismatched furniture. (I think I'm longing again to have a house and garden.)

Smith wrote the book in the US in 1948. But these days it seems to be enjoying a Renaissance, especially in the UK.
Have you read it?

The book's main character, Cassandra, has a conversation one evening with her sister Rose about whether Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë is better.

"Which would be the nicest," Rose asks, "Jane with a touch of Charlotte, or Charlotte with a touch of Jane?"

"Fifty per cent each way would be perfect," says Cassandra.

(Notice: there's no mention of Emily!)

Photo illustration, above, by Julie Kwon.

Team Emily or Team Charlotte?

As the latest Jane Eyre movie opened in US theaters earlier this month, filmmakers were busy putting the finishing to touches on a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights.

"The debate of 2011 is shaping up to be: Charlotte or Emily Bronte?" says the Daily Beast's Jennie Yabroff. "Ever since the release of Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Emily's Wuthering Heights within months of each other in 1847, the Brontë sibling rivalry has been an epic war of words."

So here's the question of the day:

WHICH SISTER WAS THE BETTER AUTHOR?

(My slightly off kilter interpretation of the sisters from here.)

Retro Photos, Redone...

Photographer Irina Werning has long been fascinated with old photographs, especially the ones that capture the goofy poses and dated interiors.

"Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today," she explains on her website. "A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."

Her subjects dug out their old photographs, and -- with a little creative staging -- allowed Werning to recreate their past.

The result is amazing:

GAHH, people are so funny! I love them.

Werning -- who took most of these photos in London and Buenos Aries (where she's living at the moment) -- has more photos like this on her website.
ALSO:
She looking for new subjects for her Back to the Future II series.If you're in New York or Boston (in May) or in Europe (in June)
and don't care about reliving your past,drop her a line!
BTW, she has a hilarious set of photos that she took of her friend's hairless dog, Chini.

(Via Better Shelter Blog.)

Monday Media Bits...

Here's a little round up of some of the things I found interesting and inspirational around the Internet this weekend. Have a lovely Monday!

Links:

Op-Art: Scenes from the Tsunami

Could this book kill the Kindle?

Unearthing treasures at Paris vintage clothing stores

Stylish homes of Berliners

Anthropologie adds home design studios to 12 stores

Collage illustration (above) by Lillianna.

For Japan With Love

This is an amazing effort -- largely by women style bloggers -- to raise funds for Japan.
The goal was to raise $5500. As of this evening, more than $45,000 was pledged.

Grab the banner and donate here!

The Weekend...

I'm looking forward to staring my new book this weekend -- The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery. And, I really want to go to the flea market to search for lovely little treasures to incorporate into the jewelry I'm making at the moment.

What are you doing this weekend!?

(Photo by Aeioux.)

A Tokyo Travel Journal...

...By Rachael Rifat...








So heartsick over what's happening in Japan.

Fantastic Online Magazines...

...LONNY...



...MATCHBOOK...



...RUE...



Lonny Magazine, created by one of Domino's former editors, was the Internet trailblazer, proving that you don't need a printing press to put out a stylish magazine. Following in Lonny's footsteps: Matchbook and Rue Magazine.

The Internet has truly Democratized publishing!

PS: More magazines listed at Realistic Chic.

A few changes here....

No, you're not seeing things...

I made a few changes here at the English Muse! I REALLY changed the fonts and went back to two columns. I ditched my old template for Blogger's standard issue Simple format. I'm trying to get my page to load faster. I hope this helps! Let me know what you think!

(Cute photo by Claude.)

Thoughts and Prayers

I've been thinking so much this weekend about the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. More than 1,000 people are confirmed dead and more than 10,000 are missing. Parts of the country have very little electricity and no water supply. People need food, blankets and shelter.

I've been trying to figure out the best way to donate to the relief efforts. Philanthropy.com has a good list of charities that are responding. HERE'S THE LINK if you're interested in giving too.

(Photo by Masaaki Miyara.)

Parisian Chic : A Style Guide

The new edition of Lonny magazine has a fantastic feature on Ines de le Fressange's book, Parisian Chic: A Style Guide. It's due out on April 5th. I'm pre-ordering on Amazon!

It reminds me, though, I really need a Paris fix.

All Things Jane Eyre

The new Jane Eyre movie opens on March 11 and it looks fantastic. Focus Features has set up
a website with tons of info about the movie and the book. I'm excited to see it!

A Swedish Girl in Paris

I'm so in love with Madelene Lindqvist's photo-diary blog, Le Portillon, about her life in Paris. She looks so charming strolling the streets in her red Marc Jacobs coat.