Folks, It’s Cold Outside

It is cold outside. Or better: it’s freezing. And I don’t like to be cold, nor do I like anything to be cold. Least of all the weather when I have to get up in the morning and go to work. Give me cold, crispy air on a prolonged weekend I can spend in bed. Now that’s my kind of cold. That I can live with. Especially when I can wrap myself in a cozy blanket, have food in bed, enjoy a pot of hot tea and have a pile of films or a new TV show to binge-watch. Of course, I have some favorites but new gems always find a way on my shelves in mysterious ways. So here it is, my list of recommendations for anyone who, like yours truly, is in touch with her inner bear and craves to hibernate in a comfy cave. Don’t give freezer burn a chance and enjoy a good flick instead!

• Battlestar Galactica
• Emergency
• Finding Forrester
• The Last Time I Saw Paris
• Liberal Arts
• Night Train to Lisbon
• Please Don’ Eat the Daisies
• La Rafle
• Slim Carter
• Spellbound
• A Time to Love and a Time to Die
• Tuesdays with Morrie
• Words & Pictures

Flick Favorites

For all of you who enjoy movies set in bygone times, films with strong female leads, I bring a list of recommendations. Period dramas I have enjoyed for their wardrobe, décor and cinematic style. Films I like to revisit for their characters and storylines. Films I have enjoyed for their music and cast. Films released in recent years or back in the 1990s.

1. Agora, starring Rachel Weisz as Hypatia, a female mathematician, philosopher and astronomer in late 4th-century
2. Anna and the King, starring Jodi Foster as Anna Leonowens, an English school teacher in Siam in the late 19th century
3. Being Julia, starring Anette Bening as Julia Lambert, a popular actress in London in the late 1930s
4. Doubt, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams as two nuns in 1960s New York (Bronx)
5. Driving Miss Daisy, starring Jessica Tandy as Daisy Werthan, a resolute widow in the 1960-70s
6. Enchanted April, starring Miranda Richardson, Polly Walker, Joan Plowright and others as a bunch of English ladies who spent their holidays in Italy in the 1920s
7. Fried Green Tomatoes, starring Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker as two friends who are mastering life in the Great Depression
8. The Great Debaters, starring Jurnee Smollett as Samantha Booke, the first female member of her college’s debate team, set in the mid 1930s
9. A Little Princess, starring Liesel Matthews as Sara Crewe, a lovely rich girl who loses everything when her father dies in WWI
10. Miss Potter, starring Renée Zellweger as Beatrix Potter, the famous writer and creator of Peter Rabbit
11. Out of Africa, starring Meryl Streep as Karen Blixen, A Danish lady who emigrates to Africa in the early 20th century
12. Paradise Road, starring Glenn Close, Julianna Margulies, Frances McDormand and many others as female POW in Sumatra during WWII
13. Tea with Mussolini, starring Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Lily Tomlin and Cher as five expatiates in Italy in the 1930s through 40s

This list, of course, is far from complete. So whatever you miss, please feel invited to share your favorite flick with a strong female lead! 🙂

A New Vice

As a kid, growing up, I always swapped books with my grandma. Together, we devoured Agatha Christie, especially her books with Miss Marple as the clever leading lady. Then, I fell for Perry Mason. With more than ninety published cases, I still haven’t managed to read all of him.The same goes for J.B. Fletcher and the murders she stumbled into in Cabot Cove. Now, a new character has won my heart: Guido Brunetti, the refined and sightly Commissario. Venice, his daily companion, is the distinctive home for his family, his friends and cases. A place more than an attraction swarmed by millions of tourists each year, pestered by oversized cruise ships and aqua alta. A town as unique as Brunetti himself, used by his creator as a main character. Venice, La Serenissima, the trading town crossed by canals and surrounded by water. A decaying beauty built on logs and land. A lagoon and setting that has inspired many authors, from Shakespeare to Thomas Mann. And, for twenty-two years now, also Donna Leon.

It was a streak of luck that brought Brunetti on paper and into our lives as readers. Donna Leon, once an English professor, has lived in Venice for more than a quarter century. Her passion for literature, opera and Venezia jumps out on every page of her bestselling novels now available in many languages but Italian (upon the author’s insistence). She never expected to write more than one, a crime novel set in Venice with a character she genuinely liked. Twenty-three books later, she’s now a grande dame of mystery and crime. A writer whose protagonists are erudite, sophisticated and often angry at the world and its crimes. It is an intoxicating mix for anyone who enjoys authenticity and reliable characters, for anyone who has a heart for history and critical thinking. Brunetti’s cases are never as grim and gloomy as many Scandinavian novels, but neither are they la dolce vita and cotton candy. For anyone who likes a descriptive style, Italian food and a dash of philosophy, Leon’s books are the perfect pastime told in a pleasant pace. But be warned, once you’ve picked up the first volume, you may never want spend another day without Brunetti and his Venetian life.

Hungry now for more on Donna Leon?! Follow the links below to dive into her world.

• Donna Leon’s official website
• Donna Leon: “I had the good sense to make Brunetti someone I liked.”
• BBC’s Meet the Author: Donna Leon

Recommendation Time

Every once in a while it’s important to treat yourself. Good food, some shoe shopping or listening to records in a local store. It’s recommendation time again on Talking Classics. So let’s see what we have:

1) Do you know Caro Emerald?! She’s a Dutch singer whose second album is about to be released in the US on May 14. Mark your calendars, fellow lovers of new vintage, The Shocking Miss Emerald is a real treat.

2) For Perry Mason fans it’s a joy to hear that season 9.1 will soon be available on DVD – on June 11 to be exact. That leaves us with only one half season to complete our collections. Fingers crossed for the TV movies to follow soon.

3) Scarecrow and Mrs. King’s fourth and final season was recently leased on DVD for anyone who has fond memories of a lovely show that sadly lost its heart when its female protagonist, Kate Jackson, fell severely ill.

4) Book-wise, I finally finished reading Eve Arden’s wonderful autobiography. In Three Phases of Eve, the actress takes us on a journey through her life on stage, in movies and beyond. Filled with funny anecdotes, the book is every bit as witty and charming as the woman herself used to be on radio and screen.

5) And last but not least, a new shopping discovery of mine is Unique Vintage. For all you ladies out there who can’t get enough of classy patterns and styles, this site may be a great addition to your favorite retailers. I know it is to mine. ♥

Friday Treats

Every once in a while, I love to share links to precious finds and sites. Today, I bring you a cheerful little mix of entertainment and gorgeous, vintage fashion.

1. Bombshells and Babes Vintage is a shop I introduced to you before but can only praise again. If my wallet was well-fed, I’d be the first one to empty those lovely online shelves.
2. Moxie is another favorite store of mine. The shop is located in DeKalb, Illinois (which tickles me immensely) and is up high on my list of must-go places. You can also find them on Etsy or follow their blog here.
3. For my fellow music lovers, I have a wonderful country treat most of you may already know, Della Mae. Their music is so beautiful and uplifting, I really hope to get a chance to see/hear the ladies live anytime soon.
4. And last but definitely not least, I bring you a modern Shirley and Laverne. Created and produced by the two leading ladies (Chloe Taylor and Jennifer Erholm) themselves, The Mop & Lucky Files are taking the internet by storm and get well-deserved laurels and praise for a true web series gem.

Recommendations

On this beautiful Saturday, I bring you a couple of new finds, favorite blogs and shops of mine:

• Bombshell and Babes on Etsy
• The Fifties Index
• Past Perfect Vintage
• The Pin-Up Files
• Queens of Vintage
• Vintage Life Magazine
• Vintage Living

 

Tune in again tomorrow, will you?!

Do you like to listen to the radio?!

Well, if you’re like me and enjoy the beats, lyrics and commercials of the swing, big band and rock ‘n roll era, I just found the place for you today: Radio Vintage.

Go ahead and listen in, they are online and a wonderful addition to all the available programs on the Internet Archive  (including Lux Radio Theater, selected episodes from Dragnet or Father Knows Best, Mr. and Mrs. North, Our Miss Brooks and Perry Mason).

But be warned, you better plan to sing along and move your feet – I know I’ve been doing that all day and enjoyed every blessed minute!

Fetch Your Reading Glasses

It’s summer time, so I’m outside reading. My favorite season always affects the amounts of books I’m enjoying, for pleasure or research, doesn’t matter – in the end, I always enjoy even the most tiring topic. So, call me a book worm, but here are ten  recommendations for those of you who share my favorite summer pastime on the beach, in your garden, on the front porch or your balcony. I could list a ton more but I’m trying to practice moderation. So here they are, my ten picks – I hope you’ll find something to enjoy:

Fiction:

• O’Pioneers, by Willa Cather
• Bleak House, by Charles Dickens
• Perry Mason and The Case of the Substitute Face, by Erle Stanley Gardner
• A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
• Blue Nude: A Novel, by Elizabeth Rosner

Non-Fiction:

• The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron
• When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times, by Pema Chödrön
• Baha’u’llah And The New Era: An Introduction To The Baha’i Faith, by J.E. Esslemont
• How to Get Into Law School, by Susan Estrich
• Riding, Roping, and Roses: Colorado’s Women Ranchers, by Judy Sammons

Art, Fashion and Pin-Ups

For the past few days, I’ve been all covered in paint and charcoal, I’ll thus make it short and just throw a couple of book recommendations your way. I’m still in the middle of exploring these gems and don’t really know which one to pick first I’m so taken with them. If you’re like me and all giddy about vintage fashion, pin-ups and art, you may find these books just as helpful and amazing. What a lovely way to spend a “moody-weather weekend”, reading and sketching. See for yourselves if you agree:

• Everyday Fashions of the Thirties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs – Stella Blum, Editor
• Everyday Fashions of the Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs -JoAnn Olian, Editor
• Everyday Fashions of the Fifties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs – JoAnn Olian, Editor
• Drawing the Head and Hands – Andrew Loomis
• Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth – Andrew Loomis
• How to Draw and Paint Pin-Ups & Glamour Girls: “Step by Step Art Instruction from the Vintage Walter Foster Archives” – Fritz Willis, Earl MacPherson, Russell Iredell and Walter Foster

The Artist

I know I’m a little late to the party but I finally saw The Artist. And I must say it lived up to what I expected. First of, the actors, the music and then the style: what a beautiful mix, winning me over from the first minute on. Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo are a sensation. A deep bow to casting director Heidi Levitt. And then the dog of course. Such a darling addition to an entertaining story and a supporting cast that’s pure joy.

It’s hard to say what I enjoyed most – the score, the silence or the plot? Every little detail is so important, supporting the classic impact of the film and the artistic shots, giving the motion picture a dramatic quality that only works in black and white. The Artist is a creative gem, a movie that’s much more than “only” and homage to the era of Hollywoodland. It is a film that reduces the cinematic medium to its roots, its core, and captivates its audience by returning to a lost tradition of performing arts and good storytelling. It is already a modern classic that deserves to be more than just an exception to contemporary rules or the dish of the day. The Artist has the potential to remind us of the power of simplicity as well as the beauty of old-school entertainment. It is a film that captures a bygone mood, a feeling of melancholy and escapism a lot of modern stories lack these days. It is moving and does without cynicism, violence or explicit nudity. The Artist is not in your face, it is subtle and romantic, poignant and uplifting. It is a movie that will follow you when the end credits have long stopped, a real gem because of and not despite its lack of color, the classic aspect ratio and its enticing silence.

The Artist theatrical trailer