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.

What are you reading??

I haven't been doing much reading, or blogging or anything except settling into my new job....
I need to get back into my old routine...

Any book suggestions!?


PS: What did you think of Colin Firth winning the Oscar!?


(Photo, above, by Tiny Lights.)

A few favorite things...

Pretty blankets,  an old map, a green radio, a bowl of oranges, cologne in colorful bottles, a vintage typewriter, a globe, an old rotary phone,  a cool sweatshirt,  a postcard purse, a bubble umbrella and a stylish hat....

Panic and run amok

The Keep Calm knock offs are still going strong -- more than two years after the trend started. This one, by madmanincognito on etsy, made me laugh!

Red Hot Literary Quotes

In honor of Valentine's day, Flavorpill has a very clever list of the top 50 literary quotes
for a hot fling.

Here's a sampling:

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”
-- Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

“Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.”
-- Complete Works by D.H. Lawrence

“I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.”
-- Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda.

The rest of the list here.

Happy Valentine's Day!


(Photo, above, by Anna Liisa Liiver.)

Ten Great Years

I love this clever Beatles poster by illustrator Max Dalton. I've been holed up in my new office the past few days and I've been thinking that it would be nice to put some colorful (yet inexpensive)
art on the walls.

This might be perfect! Any suggestions for cool office art?

Obsessed

Have you discovered Svpply yet? It's like tumblr, only for things -- to buy...

It mixes shopping and surfing the Internet! Brilliant! So this is how I'm spending Superbowl Sunday! What game?...

(For sources of things, above, check out my Svpply page.)

The Case of the Missing Pillbox Hat

My friend Faye Fiore wrote a fascinating story about Jackie Kennedy's pink suit, which has been banned from public view for 100 years. It's in storage in a secret locker in Maryland. There's just one problem: No one knows what happened to the pillbox hat.

It's a wonderful, long story -- although somewhat hard to read amid all the ads. But it's worth it. Let me know what you think! HERE'S THE LINK.

A SIDE NOTE: So many talented writers have been cut from the LA Times. The fact that Faye is still there and doing her thing makes me so happy. When I first started at the paper, I used to clip all of Faye's stories and keep them in my writing inspiration file...

Safe and Sound

After a week in the cat hospital, Shoes Lebowski is finally home. The whole ordeal ended up costing nearly $2,000. But, it's ok because...I have a new job! After a year of freelancing, I was offered a wonderful position (with salary and benefits!) at an amazing company. I even get my own office -- on the 24th floor of a downtown LA high-rise...

So here's hoping this is the start of a new chapter in my life -- and an entirely new career...For the next few days -- before I start my job on Monday -- I'm enjoying hanging out with Shoes
and relaxing...

Reading Annie Proulx's Bird Cloud is doubly sweet.

Enormous Pockets

I love this little post-it note, created by Michaela Lynch, quoting "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Pockets are, perhaps, the most functionally charming sartorial element. I love finding ticket stubs (and money) in my old jacket pockets...

Anyway, happy Tuesday. Hope you're having a lovely week so far. I'm finally getting my cat home from the hospital today!

Happy Weekend

Here's my wish list for the weekend:

*Visit Shoes at the kitty hospital (he's doing a little better.)

*Pick up a copy of the Saturday Wall Street Journal (I love the new Off-Duty section.)

*Attempt to make Nigella Lawson's Apple Syrup Upside-Down Pie.

*Read newly found thrift store copy of DH Lawrence's "The Fox."

*Catch up on Cathy Horyn's columns on the Paris Couture shows. (The Dior dresses made me want to weep.)

*Track down a copy of Annie Proulx's memoir, Bird Cloud, about her attempt to build her dream house on a 640-acre nature preserve by the North Platte River in Wyoming.

I'll probably end up just visiting Shoes and reading DH Lawrence, but it's nice to dream!

What are you doing this weekend?


(Photo by Glori Marigo.)

Cat Crisis

My giant kitty Shoes Lebowski -- you guys helped name him after I rescued him over the summer -- has been hospitalized with a complete urinary block, a condition that's deadly if not treated within 24 hours. We caught it in time, but he's not out of the woods...I'm so worried about him.

If you have a male cat, be sure to get educated about this horrible disease. Feed them moist food only (Science Diet is best) and filtered water!!

A Red Typewriter & A Lonely Girl

I have a thing for old typewriters -- usually pink, but red is fantastic too. I LOVE the Breakfast at Tiffany's GIF, by Arlei, and the top photo by Andreia Lopes.

Thank you for all your comments regarding my previous post on boring books. I can never stick with a book if it's dull. And I hate to say this, but the latest Michael Cunningham effort is about to go on the shelf next to the Richard Ford rejects. Oh well...

The Best Boring Books

Guardian books columnist Robert McCrum believes "there are times when dullness is exactly what you want from a book."

Here are his favorites:

1. Robert Burton: The Anatomy of Melancholy
2. Robert Musil: The Man Without Qualities
3. Kazuo Ishiguro: The Unconsoled
4. Malcolm Lowry: Under the Volcano
5. Virginia Woolf: The Waves
6. James Joyce: Finnegans Wake
7. Thomas Wolfe: Look Homeward, Angel
8. William Thackeray: Pendennis
9. Karl Marx: Capital
10. James Woodforde: The Diary of A Country Parson

Do you stick with boring books or give up mid-way through?

(Photo by Uncommon Destinations.)

Saturday Tumblr: Red

(more here)

Have a Happy Weekend!

My to-do list:
Sleep in
Go to farmers market
Plant bare-root roses (Eden!)
Trim pomegranate tree bonsai
Finish "By Nightfall"
Walk around the Rose Bowl
Find vintage papers for collage project
Search for medals and filigree at the flea market
Go to see "The King's Speech"

What are you doing this weekend?


(Photo from here.)

What are you reading?

I found a copy of Michael Cunningham's "By Nightfall" at my favorite secondhand bookstore the other day. I loved The Hours, so I'm looking forward to starting Cunningham's new book tonight!

What are you reading?


(Very clever photo, above, from here.)