February 6, 2015

Feline Elegance

The Lady & her Cat…

“The term “Cat Lady” can evoke the image of an unfashionable, unkempt, and slightly unhinged spinster hoarding multiple cats. The book “Cat Lady Chic” by Diane Lovejoy serves as the antidote to this unflattering point of view, celebrating the Cat Lady with a compilation of artful, playful, and sophisticated images of some of the most renowned, beautiful, and accomplished women in modern history with the cats they love”.

BlackCatModel Mary Jane Russel with black cat – photograph by Louise Dahl-Wolf

This is the amusing description of the book “Cat Lady Chic“. Much is written about the attraction between women and cats, a subject often looked upon with great suspicion by those who do not understand it.

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment
February 5, 2015

My Personal Top 10 Female Singers – No 3

…in no particular order & with my favorite recording…

Number Three: Kiri Te Kenawa

kiri te kanawa 2

The New Zealand soprano of European and Maori origin has stolen my heart in Joseph Canteloube’s “Chants d’Auvergne” (Songs from The Auvergne) and “Bachianas Brasileiras No.5” by Heitor Villa-Lobos (click links to listen).

KiriCD

The double CD is available on Itunes with the magical orchestration by Jeffrey Tate & Lynn Harrell and the English Chamber Orchestra.

Leave a comment
February 4, 2015

“Ibelepeebees” & Other Animals

A passion for all things “Steiff”

One of the first words I ever uttered at 2 years old was “Ibelepeebee” (ee-buh-la-pee-bee) while pointing to a baby giraffe in the African bush… What it meant, I can only surmise… I probably referred to its endless, seemingly fragile, skinny legs and beautiful gentle eyes with enormous lashes.

babyGiraffePhotograph by BoredPanda

My mother immediately ordered an addition to my stuffed animal collection: a giraffe…only a German made “Steiff” animal would do and she was right, they still sleep on my bed and are loyal companions in my dream life. My original word “Ibelepeebee” is now also code amongst my lady friends if we spot an interesting man, so beware!

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment
February 3, 2015

Mythological Rothko

How the philosopher Nietzsche made his “mark” on the painter Rothko

Born as Mark Rothkowitz in Latvia, he abbreviated his name to Rothko after he became an American citizen in 1938. Big scholarly books have been written about Rothko, but I am particularly interested in how mythology and the philosopher Frederick Nietzsche played a role in his journey towards Abstract Impressionism.

BlueRothkoMark Rothko “Rust and Blue” – 1953

It is always a treat to see a lot of Rothko paintings together so run to the the Gemeente Museum in The Hague in Holland to see the Rothko Exhibition until March 1, 2015

Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment
February 2, 2015

Swinging Safari…

Black & White : The Glamour of Zebra Print

My mother had a “fundi” (handy fellow) in Narobi who would make handbags to her own design, in leather and exotic hides, not PC, I know, but those were the days. She designed two “groovy” mini bags in zebra hide with long straps for my sister and I. We wore them “to death”; they had literally shed all their hairs…In fashion, coats seem somehow the best option for zebra print. Below this post some zebra accessories in “create the look for less”.

ZebraNowModel Claudia Shiffer in a recent version of a zebra print coat

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment