I bought this dress today - it makes me so happy. I need to do a few sit-ups to do it justice but it I couldn't resist it.
Thankyou to all the good wishes on my new home. I am pleased to say it is ours and we just have to wait til the 19th to pick up the keys. We bought a huge new bed this weekend (to arrive when we move in) and it is LUVVERLY, although not particularly mod. I'll have to style it up with some funky bedding (which will most likely be my next post).
I've been MIA in the blogging world recently because there's been a lot going on in my real world lately.
The most important is the decision for us to move house!
We've applied for a place and I'm pretty sure we won't get turned down. Yes, unfortunately we'll still be renting but when our current landlord recently decided to up our rent we decided to find somewhere else. We've managed to find a 2 bedroom apartment for the same price as we would have had to pay here and it's so much roomier.
We're having fun planning how we're going to use the space and we'll FINALLY get the new bed and sofa we've needed for so long.
I'm also hoping to do something to the bar area like the mod detailing seen under the bar in this picture:
There's something about this fabric design by Ray Komai (c.1948) that makes me so happy.
My scanner has an issue with scanning colours for some reason and on my first try, the brown came out blue. This showed me that I really like it in blue too. It would probably translate well in every colour, don't ya think?
via Tiki Modern, Sven A. Kirsten
It kind of reminds me of a piece Ebbo is in the middle of right now. It's quite a project (about 90 x 105cm) and will probably take some to finish. I can't wait!
This movie had not entered my realm of consciousness until the old man, Jasper sang the theme as an audition piece in The Simpsons. Until today, all I knew was the theme song, which has stuck in my brain thanks to that episode: "It's the theme, from a summer place, from a summer place, it's the theme, from a suuuummer place".
The Summer Place in Question
I must say, I was a bit surprised. All this talk about sex in a movie from 1959? I just didn't expect it to be there. And it could just be my dirty mind but there even seemed to be a few scenes that suggested things of a sexual nature that were not expanded upon in the film, like when she brushes past a rose bush and he immediately lifts her skirt to check out the scratch:
I get that it was controversial in its day but let's just say the conversations between the father and daughter seemed icky to me - telling her father the boy next door used to watch her so she deliberately undressed with the curtains open, asking him if she bounces when she walks ("in a pleasant way", he responds) and talking about her 'naughty dreams' while snuggled up on the bed. I found these discussions a tad... uncomfortable.
Anyway, long story short; the young couple have a sailing mishap, their parents' adultery comes to light and they are forbidden to see each other again.
But of course, true love conquers all. Their respective adulterous parents marry each other and the teens are invited to stay with them in another summer place. This one is more my kind of place:
"Frank Lloyd Wright designed our house" she says smugly as she chauffeurs her new stepdaughter around their poky little beach cottage. Well, to be fair, she was quite matter of fact about it, but that only irritated me more.
Don't mind if I do...
And now to reveal the girl behind the hat (as if you didn't know...)
Peekaboo!
Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee!
So, anyway...
Teen Boy and Teen Girl meet again and get all hot and heavy. Well, wouldn't you if you had this available?
As for you, Troy Donahue...
The rest of the film involves our intrepid young duo, wrestling with 'being good' when they want to be so 'bad' and then facing the consequences of their 'love'. In the immortal words of the understanding mother/stepmother/'harlot': "We live in a glass house - we're not throwing any stones".
I, however, am more interested in the house...and the hat - where can I get me one of those?
Insert whimsical remark about Richard Egan being turned into a statue here.
You can see more photos of the house today at dsoderblog.
Way back in March, Obsessilicious posted about these planters from Habitat that wouldn't be available 'til May. Since then I've been habitually checking the website for them to arrive. They were finally in stock a week or so ago but I had to sweet talk Dave into it because the dimensions were quite large and our living space quite small.
I'm pleased to say my order is placed with a 20% discount and free postage (get in!) but they don't seem to be stocking the middle sized green one anymore which is a shame. Now to find the right plants...
On Friday afternoon, I declared to Dave that I did not want to do anything over the weekend. By Friday evening, I had had a few cocktails and declared that I simply MUST go see The Monkees. So, Dave made a few calls and the next day we were heading up to Birmingham.
It was brilliant.
Exciting!
I've been a fan of the Monkees ever since I first saw the Monkeemobile roll across my television screen as a child. "The Monkeemobile!" my father cried and I was hooked.
Back in the NIA, Birmingham, the background screen flashed images and scenes from 45 years ago and I was far enough from the stage to pretend the guys (minus Mike Nesmith) were still young and sexy - they sounded very good indeed.
Three of The Monkees - Peter, Davy and Micky
(to the right of the bloke in the white shirt )
The show was broken into two parts with an intermission, which I'm not used to. Despite second half including lesser known music from their movie, Head (complete with belly dancer), almost all of my favourite tunes were played. The 'lads' swapped instruments so many times it made the old 'they don't play their own instruments' accusation laughable.
Here's Micky playing the kettle drum while they perform one of most favourite songs, Randy Scouse Git:
Micky told about how when they first came to England in 1967, the Beatles threw them a party (quoth Micky, "I was told I had a great time"). When he woke up, 'Til Death Us Do Part was on telly and Alf Garnett was shouting out 'Randy Scouse Git'. Micky thought that was a great song title but unfortunately it had to be released as 'Alternate Title' here in the UK. I've never really understood why they had to rename it even though Alf Garnett was allowed to shout it out on television.
I was so very glad, I was able to experience The Monkees live at least once in my life. I didn't think I could love them any more, but I do.
The Royal Nuptials have now taken place and I thought they were 'swell'. There were even a couple of mid century touches.
I think the coolest moment was when Wills drove himself and Kate off to Clarence House in a vintage Aston Martin. The blue DB6 is owned by his father, Prince Charles who received it as a 21st birthday gift from his mum, the Queen. Apparently, Charles had it converted to run on wine wastage in 2008. I ADORE the picture of our future king above - he looks so happy.
Kate and Wills leave Buckingham Palace for Clarence House
Diana on the car in 1987
I also like that Kate's dress seems inspired by the one Grace Kelly wore in 1956. Go Mid Century vibe!
We went on a quick overnight trip to Chichester, Sussex on Monday to visit a friend. Before returning home we spent a couple of hours on the beach at nearby West Wittering.
West Wittering is home to Keith Richards of 'The Rolling Stones'. In February 1967, his 'quaint cottage', Redlands was the setting for the infamous drugbust also involving Mick Jagger and then girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull, who was discovered wearing nothing but a fur rug.
This mug seemed innocent enough when I spotted it on ebay...
but when I opened the package I was confronted with yet another smelly item!
I never thought ceramic objects could absorb odours like my unfortunate vinyl bag but now I shall never forget. The stench when you hovered your nose over the rim was quite horrific - clearly unusable as a drinking mug - but I was not to be beaten.
First I tried a baking soda and water concoction - no effect.
I tried it again - no effect.
I used vinegar - no effect.
It reminded me of my favourite Seinfeld episode, The Smelly Car when a valet with horrendous B.O. manages to 'deposit' the odour into Jerry's car. It then attaches itself to Jerry and Elaine, who are unable to rid themselves of the stench. Jerry pays to get his car valeted but after forking out a lot of money, "it still smells"! As a last resort, Elaine uses tomato sauce to remove the smell from her hair.
So I tried, tomato sauce - no effect.
I decided to leave the mug until I had more time to tackle the 'unholy' problem and left it on my kitchen window sill in the hopes that sunlight would have some effect. About a week or so later, I sniffed and voila... the stench was gone. I can now use my mug for the purpose in which it was created - hooray.
I'm becoming a tad obsessed with Pinterest. If you don't already know, it's a site that you can use as your own virtual pinboard. You can click on any picture you find on the web and it posts it to one of your boards back on the site.
Click the link to see my Pinterest boards or if you're already there give me a heads up so I can check your boards out too.
If you prefer actual as opposed to virtual, you should check out these steps to make your own pinboard using a canvas and an old pillowcase. I might have to make one of these myself - if I can find the right pillowcase, that is.
How adorable is this Barbie-sized tiki bar? The tikis holding leaves and torches are so sweet. It's on ebay now for only a fiver. I'd buy it myself but really, what would I do with it?
My newest tiki acquisitions arrived today. Above is my pendant made from Tibetan Yak Bone apparently. It was so cute and so cheap that I couldn't resist. I'm wearing it right now. The back view makes me giggle too - such detail:
Also arrived is this black promotional mug for Seven Tiki rum:
I love my tiki collection - I can't stop myself, now!
