"Tangled"

Cute, funny and romantic.

An update on the Rapunzel tale, told with verve and humor.  The characters are appealing and the movie has some good songs.

An entertaining night at the theater.

Shoes

Would you spend $2,000 on a pair of shoes?

How about if they were made by Lanvin in Paris?

What if they were made of python and Mongolian fur?

What if they had 4.5 inch stiletto heels?

Tell me your thoughts...

Another Trip Outdoors

I hope you all had a nice holiday.  Let me tell you what I'm grateful for -- you!

I've learned so much from you about fashion and friendship.  Your sartorial advice has been frequent and sound; your friendly support has been constant and vital.  Thanks!

Here is an outfit whose very idea came from you: the classic belted cardigan.  I never "saw" this type of look before reading your blogs.  Plus, the first time I wore this cardigan, I used its attached skinny belt in matching color and several of you wisely pointed out that that belt didn't work: that a contrasting color and wider one would be better.  Of course, you were right; I wouldn't have seen that until you pointed it out.

I owe all my progress to you guys!

Helmut Newton

Helmut Newton is one of the most famous fashion photographers.  His work spanned four decades and appeared frequently in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

Newton was born in Germany in 1920.  Being Jewish, he left the country as a teenager.  He travelled to Australia, then moved to England, and later lived in Paris.

Newton's photos, while beautiful, had a distinct edge which set them apart from conventional stuff.  Sometimes, his photos even had erotic charge.  Here is a sample of his photographs.  Tell me what you think.

Baseball

I like baseball.  I played it when I was young.  Baseball has a poetry about it that's missing from other organized sports.

When I visit stadiums around the country, I always bring home a ball as a memento.  Every stadium sells balls with the logo of their team on it.  They're pretty, can be used to play catch, and serve as a reminder of the experience.

For my birthday, I asked Robin to get me a large wooden bowl in which I could display my balls.  (You have a dirty mind!)  Here it is: I like the way it turned out...

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you enjoy the holiday.  Best wishes!

"Babies"

I just saw this movie on DVD (from NetFlix) and was pleasantly surprised: it's quite charming.

The movie follows four babies from around the world on their journey from birth to first steps.  The children are from radically-different places.  Ponijao lives in Africa (Namibia); Bayar lives in Asia (Mongolia); Mari lives in Japan; and Hattie lives in San Francisco.  Three of the babies are girls but their gender is hard to tell at that age.

Despite the absence of a plot, you're easily mesmerized by the babies' antics and development.

I was especially intrigued by the vast cultural differences of the babies' environments.  Hattie lives in typical American affluence while Ponijao chews dirt in the African desert.  Yet, in some ways, life in primitive societies has obvious advantages.

If you're in the right mood, this film can be fun to watch.