Blossom Dearies: They Say It's Spring

Keep me up till five only because all your stars are out...

"Give me a story that just makes me unreasonably vigilant. Keep me up till five only because all your stars are out, and for no other reason."
— J.D. Salinger (Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction)

Take A Trip With Tilda

I love that an actress as commercially successful as Tilda Swinton would still take time to participate in a short fashion film, in this case for Scottish knitwear brand Pringle. The film is shot by Ryan McGinley so it's pretty much a dream team. Watch Tilda explore Scottish ruins in gorgeous full-length gowns, her platinum blonde locks blowing in the gale winds.

Oh Leonid

The Leonid Meteor Shower, Nov. 10-20, optimal viewing time after 1 a.m. PST

Pumpkin Moonshine--Remembering Tasha

"I'm perfectly content. I have no other desires but to live here with my dogs, goats and birds."
-Tasha Tudor (August 28, 1915 – June 18, 2008)

Brrrr

Niagara Falls. Frozen. 1911.
I'm not ready for Winter.

Forever Loving Watts--My Teenage Trail of Tears

This is not the best John Hughes' film but it's the one that had the greatest impact on me. I watched it over and over again and I think I can still recite about 3/4 of the lines. Watt's is the anti-heroine of the movie.

She plays the drums, drives a cool car, wears red tasseled leather gloves, and winklepickers. She's all tough talk and wisecracks and she knows how to give a great kissing lesson.


She dresses not unlike a butch lesbian with cutoff jeans and big t-shirts and a surfer boy haircut. Despite those transgressions she's a total knockout and way more cool than the cheerleading Ms. Amanda Jones. AND she gets the guy in the end and walks off into the sunset with him wearing a cute little drummer girl outfit.


If you haven't seen it I recommend you rent it--it still holds up. The writing is strong and the characters are complex, thanks to John Hughes' hand. And when you hear the sweetest Irish jig version of "I Can't Help Falling In Love With You" play in the closing scene, remember the 13 year old me, mouthing the words, tears streaming down my face.

Twitter, virtual Cocktail Party

I really, really did not expect to like Twitter and initially signed up just to confirm that fact. I have made, if not a 360˚, a 280˚. At it's best, Twitter is like a world-wide cocktail party. You have to scan the house to find your people. They might be smoking on the back porch or in the basement playing bongos. It takes some time to sniff them out.

I get to drool over what Ruth Reichl is having for dinner.


I discovered a terrific new Portland street style blog called Urban Weeds.


I met a load of other photographers who are also obsessed with taking photos on their iPhones. I have learned the name for this type of photography: iPhoneography. I favorite iPhoneography friend is named FranceMarie who scaptures things timeless, creepy and beautiful.



Through Twitter I discovered a dreamy luxury vintage store called Shrimpton Couture. I thought all of these clothes had died and gone to heaven but no! They are still on this earth AND available for order.


The wonderful proprietress has turned me on to Miriam Haskell, a terrific American costume jewelry company, which set off a personal Ebay bidding spree.


Monday is my favorite day on Twitter because it is Music Monday and you get to recommend music to your followers. My pick for today is a website called Global Grooves out of The Netherlands which posts entire records for listening. Bands from Africa, China, Puerto Rico. Stuff you probably have never heard before and will want to listen to for the rest of your life. Like these guys. Your Summer soundtrack awaits.

Eric Rose

I take photographs with love, so I try to make them art objects. But I make them for myself first and foremost - that is important. 
Jacques-Henri Lartigue 

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Eric Rose is a Portland-based photographer and mad genius. You can stalk him online at the same places I do, flickr and his personal site filmesque. He counts Paolo Roversi (weighty and introspective) and Henri Lartigue (sparkling and high-spirited) as heroes and somehow his work manages to incorporate both of those personalities. Here are some of his shots from last week featuring some Le Train Bleu styles: the Sophomore Black Twist Tank and the Heidi Merrick Traveling Dress. The other mad geniuses at work here? Despite her chameleon talents you probably recognize the amazing model Sarah Schroeder--she's been around these parts before. As has MUA and stylist Lindsey Avenetti.

Clementine Candle

My Dad and I bought some Clementines the other day but then discovered that they had loads of pips, as he calls seeds. They were sitting around looking pretty but uneaten until I discovered this post on Apartment Therapy about making Clementine Candles. It's super easy--I'm going to see if I can come up with some sort of Christmas Dinner centerpiece with these. Wouldn't they look pretty with some mini gardenia bouquets?

Speaking of Clementines we just received a shipment of Clementine Perfume from Melissa Flagg. Growing up I always got clementines in my stocking and I think this would be such a lovely grown-up version. Santa are you reading?

Forty Four Presidents, An MZA/Maria Sputnik Joint

Taft in the bath! Harding versus squirrels! Cleveland and Coolidge's love lives!

Get your own paper version and other neato comics at Maria Sputnik's Creepy Box of Treasure. The cost is a mere $2.50. Did somebody say stocking stuffer?