Les jeunes filles qui portent des lunettes de soleil, Item 1

People collect all sorts of things. For example.

I've started collecting ads I like from magazines that feature young women wearing sun glasses. A such, I've dubbed the collection "Young women/girls who wear sunglasses" but in French, because that makes it sound much more debonair.

Sun glasses add so much character yet aloof coolness to a person's ambiance. But I also love the irony of the pictures as sun glasses are supposed to hide you, shield you from the inquisitive eye of the on-looker and yet, because these are ads I can look at them as much as I want! hahaha!

I don't select every ad I see with young women wearing sun glasses, just the ones I like. Some criteria I might consider: not-boring, cool sunglasses?, would I want to be friends with these people (if I was forced to make such a decision based solely on a photograph of them wearing sun glasses), it is artistically interesting.

For slow days, thought I'd start sharing some of my selections. Tell me what you think of them. Are they worthy?

P.S. As I am a novice, I haven't recorded what magazine or product these are coming from. Sometimes you can tell, sometimes you can't, sorry.

Item 1:

Random Perfume Update: Marie Antoinette lives on

I am not personally into perfume at all, but this is actually kinda cool. Marie Antoinette's favorite scent is being revived! Now we can all smell like an infamous French aristocrat and victim of the guillotine!

(Well, actually only if you can stomach the $130 bill.)

But what is weird (because nothing about this is weird yet) is that it is being launched on Bastille Day. It was my general impression that the French people struggling for their independence and who stormed the Bastille that historic, symbolic day rather disapproved of Marie Antoinette & amis and their decedent, frivolous, expensive, elite way of life. Hence all the executions.

So reviving an expensive luxury item belonging to the Queen of France seems like a rather disingenuous way to celebrate the French Revolution. Les citoyens would not approve!

But maybe that's just me and my history books.

Introducing Powder Keg & Spread by Robert Trachtenberg for Tatler, Aug 2011

Prefixing posts with "Powder Keg" is my amusing way of indicating that I will be discussing fashion magazines. (Don't get the joke, look up "magazine" in the dictionary and be enlightened.)

This spread for Tatler is a super refreshing change from the general boring, hyper-sexualized, often racist, and gimmick-masquerading-as-creativity. It includes cute clothes, fashion icons, and cleverness!

My two favs:

Poem: Whalebones

Whalebones

Whalebones sing.

To some they summon a world

soft tones, soft looks,

dances of love words.

Bones tinkle together

like kissing chimes

strings of crystals

wineglass stems

arranged flowers.

They are magic wands of a fairyland,

gilt in the faded shades of picture books.

But those bones displace mine,

I feel my body crushed.

My own ribs bend inward,

shudder, split, splinter,

pierce my lungs

I can’t breathe, I say.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t move. I can’t run.

I can’t scream. I can’t sing.

Someone must help me.

The bone merchant does.

Anecdote: Coconut Saga

So Saturday I was making a fruit platter for a barbecue. Thought I'd be creative and include some coconut.

Purchased said coconut, bring it home only to remember I know nothing about how to crack a coconut.

Watched a video about how to crack a coconut. It was a bit insane. Involved an oven. Decided I'd skip that bit.

Carefully poke a hole in the coconut to drain the water. No water. Hmmmm. Shake it around a bit, give it a few punches. Still no water. Worry about this for little bit, then decided who cares, I'm not here for the water anyway.

Begin tapping the "equator" of the coconut with a hammer as instructed by the interweb. Do this for several minutes. No progress.

More tapping. No improvement.

Dad suggests I hit it harder. I explain to him that the internet warned me not to strike it too hard.

Dad ignores me and give the coconut a big wallop with the hammer and the shell cracks beautifully in half.
I spent several minutes prodding the coconut with a knife and spoon trying to get the half of the meat still in the shell out.

Dad gives it another wack and out it pops.
We both feel pretty great for accomplishing such a great feat.

Then, the coconut tastes TERRIBLE and I decide not to include it in the fruit platter after all.

The end.

Come On Get Crafty: Dot Dudette

This is one of my favorites. This girl's glasses are fantastic. Best way to celebrate is to cover the picture in polka dots, clearly.