Saturday, April 27, 2013

Random Saturday Musings

Well it is another lovely Saturday around here and I have a full day planned: groceries, housework, yardwork and then tonight, I have been invited to a girls-only social evening at a friend's house.  There are about 20 women attending and they are all quite excited.  Lots of food, some wine and a lot of talking, I imagine!  Will let you know how it all goes tomorrow!

But first, we have Wendy's Random Saturday Musings!

1) George Jones dies at 81


I have to confess: I am not a huge George Jones fan, though I did enjoy some of the music.  What struck me the most about this news was this: GEORGE MADE IT TO 81!  I mean, George was a country star but he lived a rock and roll lifestyle.  My husband saw him 30 years ago in concert; he was so drunk that he had to be helped to and from the piano and then had to stop the concert after 30 minutes.  But he lived to be 81 years old.  Go figure.  Why am I worried about the odd cookie?

2) And speaking of Country Music...

One of my favourite country/folk songs is "The Farmer's Song" by Canadian Murray McLauchan, with it's lovely chorus:
Straw hats and old dirty hankies, moppin' a face like a shoe
Thanks for the meal, here's a song that is real, from a kid from the city to you
You can watch it here if you like.  It is just lovely.  But it is the straw hats that have me dreaming this morning.  I love a straw hat and have been looking around for a new one for summer.  Can you ever have enough?  I admit to being a bit of a purist: I prefer my straw hats to be natural straw or black.  Stripes are divine.  J Crew has a couple of lovely options:

Summer straw hat

 Summer straw hat in stripe
 Don't want a wide brim hat?  Tory Burch has a lovely little fedora with a jaunty yellow flower on it:

Natural Raffia W/ Daisy Grosgrain Tory Burch Raffia Knit Hat

My other fetish, no surprise, is straw shoes!  J Crew has a lovely pair of ballet flats in straw in this new release - if they ever make it to sale, they will be mine!

Classic straw ballet flats


But if my pockets were really deep, I would scoop up these valentino sandals, which scream BEACH to me...



RED Valentino sandals


 3) Tilda Swinton, scamp

Oh Tilda, I am getting such a girl crush on you!

Oh sure, you are a great actress.  But your recent "nap-in" at the MOMA just made me smile...

32313tilda1.jpg

Read all about it here.

But it gets better!  On April 20th she led 1500 people in a dance-along at Ebert-fest, the late Roger Ebert's Chicago Film Festival.    You can see it here.  There is nothing I like more than a dance-along.  Which naturally leads me to my last random thought of the day...

4) the 30th Anniversary of Beat It

It was 30 years ago this weekend that Beat It made it to number one on the charts.  Oh say what you want about Michael Jackson.  I know I will.  But I defy you to hear this song and not want to get up and dance.  Or have a dane-off with your friend after a couple of drinks (am I the only one who has ever done that?  Really, you ought to come by the house some Saturday night if you have a hankering for that kind of thing...)  An homage to West Side Story, this video and song are classics. 

So I will leave you with the video and wish you all a wonderful, safe, Saturday.  Stay safe out there!

25 comments:

  1. Tilda get it done! This is done in SCOTLAND? She is spectacular-looking , I think.

    I love straw hats as sun protection, esp with a wider brim. All fedoras now look too hipster. Do you have one of those little straw cowgirl hats?

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    1. NO cowgirl hats for me - I am an Anne of Green Gables girl - wide brim all the way! Actually, to be truly honest, for whatever reason I can only wear 3 types of hates - knit caps, cloches and wide brim. I tried on a Panama hat and it looked wretched. The same with the fedoras. I am trying to think if I have ever tried the cowboy hat. Likely at a beach sometime! I think we need Tabs to way in on Tilda!

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  2. I hope you have a great day, your outing tonight sounds fun. We have a party to go to tonight, I'd rather stay home with a movie!
    I love a good straw hat but I have an unusually large head and I can't ever find one that fits me. I keep looking though!
    I noticed those straw ballets too, I think they are darling.

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    1. dani - i have a big head, too - wish it were all brains! we were going to watch a movie last night but ended up watching British quiz shows on appletv!

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  3. How I didn't know anout sleeping Tilda? Must find someone who knows someone who knows someone who works at Moma and can hand me out the schedule with the next performances!

    Funny, I bought the Tory classic fedora yesterday during the F&F. Really attracted to the orange ribbon but in the end I went with the navy as I will get more use out of it (if I dare wearing it at all)!

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    1. Oh Ema - please take a pic of you with the fedora - would love to see it! ANd yes, you must go see Tilda!!!

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  4. I went to Tilda's film festival in Inverness, if you couldn't afford the ticket, you just took fair cakes along. I LOVE her husband, John Byrne, brilliant playwright, great artist and a really interesting and funny man.

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    1. That sounds like a great festival! Is it yearly? I just love her- she is such an original!

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  5. I hope you have a fab girls' night out, Wendy!
    I love Tilda Swinton v much indeed. She is SO beautiful!
    I have a straw fedora fetish - hats are super important here due to the almost constant sun. I try to wear one everyday, but of course I often forget.
    I love the stripey one.

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    1. I need to get more into hats when I am out and about - is on my to-do list - which is why I am looking for a new one as all the ones I wear for gardening are quite beaten up now! Yes - I think Tilda is just beautiful, too!

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  6. THRILLER TONIGHT, YEAH <3 Tilda for being singular (not enough of that in film and celebrity these days). Pretty sure you can get similar looking to the Valentino sandals for a song (well almost that little) in Jamaica or Costa Rica. Will check friends for ya. Dance on WMM, and don't forget to drink water with the wine later ;-)

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    1. Thanks GF - I am am the DD, so I will be good!!! I used to have a wonderful pair of van eLi's in straw that I adored, but completely wore them out from use. I would have worn them anytime, anyplace. So cute!

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  7. Tilda is amazing! Thanks for the clip. Have a wonderful time tonight with your girls.

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    1. I will Patricia! I think seeing Tilda in a glass box would be so cool - she is a throwing it out there!

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  8. I have been in awe of Tilda Swinton ever since seeing her in "Orlando" (many many years ago, while at McGill University). The straw hats are adorable but I have given up on buying hats online, I have a huge head and it's hard to find ones that fit. Your party tonight sounds like fun, can't wait to hear more about it!

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  9. 1. George Jones is quite a legend and you're right not just for his music but his lifestyle.
    2. Get your straw hats from Target..just as nice but cheaper.
    3. I love me some Tilda but who naps with their shoes on?
    4. I looooove MJ. Thriller came out the summer before my senior year in high school so I will always have a soft spot for him. Still love Weird Al's Eat It take on the song.
    Today is rainy and miserable. Great day to watch TV...trying that new Netflix horror series. Finally saw Django (loved it) and War Horse (thought it was incredibly cheesy).

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    1. BB - sadly no Target here until the fall - they are just building it now - the closest is Bangor. maybe I should check Walmart! I love Eat it, too! That was so funny! We must have had your sunny weather for once. I haven't seen django yet. I liked War Horse okay and I especially loved the visuals - it was beautifully shot!

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  10. Ah, I love your round up Saturdays!

    Tilda Swinton is too cool for school.

    I really want a straw hat. I have one but it doesn't stay on my head.

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    1. Hats are so hard!!!! Tilda is indeed too cool for school!

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  11. I must live in a cave, I have never heard of Tilda Swinton. But I loved that Michael Jackson era. Makes me wish I had even an ounce of coordination for dancing but I am hopeless! Thumbs up on the straw. I am super picky about straw hats, they cannot sit atop my head, they must fit on it just so and not be tight. J. Crew's straw hats are out of the running because they don't pull down far enough on my head without being tight. Although, I did pick up a men's fedora at the Factory store last year that is not bad because they sell those in sizes and I could size up in it. I love the yellow flower on the Tory Burch fedora and now I'm going to be hunting for a feathery flower pin like that to put on a hat. Have fun out tonight!

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    1. Now Cate, if you lived in a cave, you wouldn't be here! I find hats hard to fit as well and am always looking for the perfect one!

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  12. I don't know most of the celebrity people you post about but making it to 81 with a rock'n'roll lifestyle is an accomplishment. It must be a case of good genes.

    Your party sounds like it will be fab. I love hanging out with a big group of girls. My BFF here in Calgary always has a girls holiday martini party and it is a riot. Have fun!

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    1. A holiday Martini party - that is a great idea! Will have to keep that in mind!

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