I have lived in (ok. for about a month–thanks again sis) and around the NYC metro area the majority of my life. I went to college in the City, worked in the City, hung out in the City, and shopped in the City. As a New Yorker, there are certain things we just don’t do. We don’t go to Times Square.Period.Point.Blank. If we have to go through Times Square, we speed walk cutting through the HORDES of people, dirty street Elmos, and totally ignore the many Naked Cowboys (yes, there is a Naked Cowgirl and most recently, a Naked Black Cowboy!) We don’t stop to take pictures in front of things and we don’t look up! God forbid we look up and look remotely touristy! To “natives” stopping to look up marks you as an easy target to the pick-pockets and thieves looking to take advantage of starry eyed tourists!!!
Well, a funny thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I was given the opportunity to stay in the City for a week and was quite excited. Me and my family headed down to 35th street, between 5th and 6th and stayed at the Manhattan Comfort Inn–one block over from the Empire State Building. Where we lived liked tourists for a week. We even strolled through Times Square. However, I did not allow my husband to have any pictures taken of my kids with the dirty street characters. He made me do that one other time and I WAS MORTIFIED! I have a picture of that, but am too embarrassed to post here.
Anyway, staying at the hotel allowed me to view things up top so to say. Because we don’t stop to look up, we miss a lot of the architectural details on some of the older buildings. On the first morning after our arrival, I opened the curtains to our room and was greeted by the following:
(The Empire State Building)
Moving forward, my plan is take photos of all the interesting vintage buildings and architecture I see for a weekly series entitled Friday’s Facade. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do and will come back often to see the new additions.
Do you remember G.L.O.W.? I do!!!! I used to watch this Saturday mornings when I was a little girl. After some digging, I found the theme song from the show. Enjoy!!!
Was watching the latest episode of Mad Men the other night and learned something new….that margarine was created for Napoleon III and his armed forces so that they could travel with a butter that did not spoil. Who says t.v. rots your brains?!!!!
I love 80s New Wave/Syntho Pop! As a matter of fact its one of my favorite music genres. I listen to it while I embroider as well as when I take long car rides. Nothing better than driving along on a warm summer night, windows down, sunroof open, blasting New Wave!
Here’s a video of one of the songs that gets me going–Take On Me by A Ha. The video is also great and I am sure it tops many a “all time greatest” music video lists.
One of my favorite movies EVER is the Anne of Green Gables Trilogy released in 1985. For the past few weeks, I have had Anne’s portrayal of The Lady of Shalott running through my mind.
Part I.
On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road runs by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.
By the margin, willow-veil'd
Slide the heavy barges trail'd
By slow horses; and unhail'd
The shallop flitteth silken-sail'd
Skimming down to Camelot:
But who hath seen her wave her hand?
Or at the casement seen her stand?
Or is she known in all the land,
The Lady of Shalott?
Only reapers, reaping early
In among the bearded barley,
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly,
Down to tower'd Camelot:
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers "'Tis the fairy
Lady of Shalott."
Part II.
There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.
And moving thro' a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down to Camelot:
There the river eddy whirls,
And there the surly village-churls,
And the red cloaks of market girls,
Pass onward from Shalott.
Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,
An abbot on an ambling pad,
Sometimes a curly shepherd-lad,
Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad,
Goes by to tower'd Camelot;
And sometimes thro' the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two:
She hath no loyal knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott.
But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often thro' the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot:
Or when the moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed;
"I am half-sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.
Part III.
A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley-sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A redcross knight for ever kneel'd
To a lady in his shield,
That sparkled on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.
The gemmy bridle glitter'd free,
Like to some branch of stars we see
Hung in the golden Galaxy.
The bridle-bells rang merrily
As he rode down to Camelot:
And from his blazon'd baldric slung
A mighty silver bugle hung,
And as he rode his armour rung,
Beside remote Shalott.
All in the blue unclouded weather
Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather,
The helmet and the helmet-feather
Burn'd like one burning flame together,
As he rode down to Camelot.
As often thro' the purple night,
Below the starry clusters bright,
Some bearded meteor, trailing light,
Moves over still Shalott.
His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow'd
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
He flash'd into the crystal mirror,
"Tirra lirra," by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.
She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces thro' the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.
Part IV.
In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale-yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining,
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower'd Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And round about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.
And down the river's dim expanse--
Like some bold seër in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance--
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.
Lying, robed in snowy white
That loosely flew to left and right--
The leaves upon her falling light--
Thro' the noises of the night
She floated down to Camelot:
And as the boat-head wound along
The willowy hills and fields among,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott.
Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darken'd wholly,
Turn'd to tower'd Camelot;
For ere she reach'd upon the tide
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.
Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming shape she floated by,
A corse between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs they came,
Knight and burgher, lord and dame,
And round the prow they read her name,
The Lady of Shalott.
Who is this? and what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they cross'd themselves for fear,
All the knights at Camelot:
But Lancelot mused a little space;
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott."
Ok. Yesterday was Music Mondays, so obviously, Tuesday must be Tasty, right? Well, because this blog is about all things vintage, not just clothes, I thought I would begin to blog about a different vintage topic each day. With that said (or written in this case), here is the first entry into Tasty Tuesdays.
The 15 Most Insane Vintage Recipes printed in Bon Appetit is one of the first things I stumbled upon whilst researching recipes of yore. Take a gander at these food topiary trees. Then, check out the original article at the link above. They even printed some of the recipes!!!! If you feel brave enough to try one of them for yourself, I would love for you to come back and comment on this post about how it good or bad it tasted.
Ahhhhhhhhh. Just like the Golden Girl’s theme song, Thank You For Being a Friend, Spandau Ballet’s song True gives me the warm and fuzzies!
Oh yeah. The CCV FB page only needs 2 more “Likes” in order to hit 100. I know, that’s not really a lot. But with your help, you can make it a lot!!! Thanks for hanging out over here on the blog and “Thank You For Being a Frieeeeeeennndd!”
(The Empire State Building)
