Girls in the Windows

Ormond Gigli - Girls in the Windows, 1960

"In 1960, while a construction crew dismantled a row of brownstones right across from my own brownstone studio on East 58th Street, I was inspired to, somehow immortalize those buildings. I had the vision of 43 women in formal dress adorning the windows of the skeletal facade.

We had to work quickly to secure City permissions, arrange for models which included celebrities, the demolition supervisior's wife (third floor, third from left), my own wife (second floor, far right), and also secure the Rolls Royce to be parked on the sidewalk. Careful planning was a necessity as the photography had to be accomplished during the workers' lunch time!

The day before the buildings were razed, the 43 women appeared in their finest attire, went into the buildings, climbed the old stairs, and took their places in the windows. I was set up on my fire escape across the streeet, directing the scene, with bullhorn in hand. Of course I was concerned for the Models' safety, as some were daring enough to pose out on the crumbling sills.

The photography came off as planned. What had seemed to some as too dangerous or difficult to accomplish, became my fantasy fulfilled, and my most memorable self - assigned photograph. It has been an international award winner ever since.

Most professional photographers dream of having one signature picture they are known for. "GIRLS IN THE WINDOWS " is mine." 

Sources: ormondgigli.com

Somewhere over the rainbow...

Howdy, readers!

Today, Google managed to wake up the movie aficionado in me! You all know the movie 'The Wizard of Oz', unless you have been living under a rock for the last 71 years. Yes, that's right, 71 years have passed since Dorothy (Gale, not Hollins) and Toto left Kansas behind and began their magical journey over the rainbow.

I remember that when I was little, after the cartoons programme ended, you could see old movies without subtitles. That was the first time I saw 'The Wizard of Oz'. And I was five years old and did not understand a single word, but I was fascinated by the splendid scenery, the songs and the costumes. I wanted Dorothy's ruby slippers so bad that even now, when I wear red flats, I think about them. Or maybe I still am the little girl from years ago...

Anyway, I hope this post will make you remember the movie, as well as your childhood, and if you have not seen it yet, this might be the perfect moment.

The Teashop or The Tale of Past Splendour

Even though I walk through the valley of Death I fear no evil, for my name is Laura. I was born in 1927. 

Right now I am in a teashop on Pebble Street. I have chosen a table for two from which I can see anyone who enters but I cannot immediately be seen myself and I have hung my coat over the opposite chair, as if my companion has just left it there and will soon be back.
It is a bright May afternoon, but I cannot find myself enjoying the weather. The teashop is rapidly filling with customers or people who have nowhere in particular to go. We are all lost. If someone had told me, I would have not believed it. A week without strafes and a sunny afternoon has made these people forget all the things we have passed through. Or maybe they are just trying to ignore this undoing, to live their day. Their last day, perhaps.
Cigarette smokes and faded words drift across the nearby tables. In this phony state of peace, few people seem to be realizing the state we are in. You know, it did not used to be like this.
There was a time when we were all pure, when we did not know what war meant. Now all I see is ruins, dust and broil. The teashop is now a mixture of past splendour and wartime shabbiness. Scratched parquet, faded wallpaper and a white paint that has aged to a lusterless cream. Once the epitome of gracious middle-class breakfasting, it was now noisy and crowded.
Looking back on those years, years of childhood, years of first coquetries and first-lovers, I have the impression that they were just the product of my imagination, that none of those blissful moments has ever happened.
How could I have guessed that today, the 31st of May I will be sitting on this rusty chair, writing probably my last pages into the crumpled notebook that I keep for a diary? But I leave these words as a testimony that I, Laura, 18 years old, am not afraid of what is to come and I am content with all the trials LIFE has had for me.

'Inglourious Basterds' Review

‘And the German will be sickened by us, and the German will talk about us, and the German will fear us. And when the German closes their eyes at night and they're tortured by their subconscious for the evil they have done, it will be with thoughts of us they are tortured with. Sound good?’

Those are Lt. Aldo Raine's words, from the new Tarantino blockbuster, ‘Inglourious Basterds’, an audacious ‘fantasy story’ about the World War II, where the Jews come out on top. And by the way, I did not misspell the title. That’s a deliberate error coming from Quentin Tarantino himself, as a first sign of what we are going to see in those 153 minutes: a lot of good acting, humor and distorted history.

You would think that the war subject doesn’t let you so many choices with the plot. But the wonder-child of Hollywood wants us to see something different from all the cliché movies that involve the Holocaust. So he defies history. The movie is divided into five chapters, each one with its own heading and follows two stories that are brought together at the end.

In the opening chapter, we are introduced to Shosanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a French Jew girl, who escaped the massacre of her family, and will appear after three years under an assumed name, as the owner of a movie theatre from Paris. When she finds out that an important movie premiere will take place at her theatre, Shoshanna sees a way to turn the even into a conflagration, which will be very easy, seeing that on those times, the films were made from nitrate, which is highly flammable.

The other story follows the adventures of the afore-mentioned Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his group of American ‘Basterds’, whose only goal was to kill Nazis. The ‘Basterds’ were specialized in scalping The Nazis and carving swastikas into their foreheads, so that they would never forget who they were and what they did. Later in the movie, the infamous group is charged to blow up a theater that would be brimful of Nazis and kill as many of Hitler's top men as possible. And of course, the theater in question is the one owned by Shosanna.

The movie ends with bloodshed, revenge, Nazis scalps, dead people and a murdered Hitler. Watching ‘Inglourious Basterds’ will make you understand that the movie is not about sacrifice, but about the bloody, the dirty side of the war. You will hear a lot of dark humor, along with violence and the foot-fetish, which will corroborate that the movie is 100% a Tarantino one.

I could not end this review without mentioning the marvelous acting of Christoph Waltz as the Nazi "Jew Hunter" Col. Hans Landa, who is the most charismatic character in the movie. He is so twisted and despicable and with so many great lines, that’s impossible not to like him. Great acting and character contouring from Brad Pitt - with his Southern twang, as well as Melanie Laurent and Diane Kruger, both in roles of femme-fatale.

All in all, ‘Inglourious Basterds’ is another Tarantino masterpiece, a testimony that he successfully uses his skills of both writing and directing, and on which he imposes his trademarks and known quality.

So ‘That’s a Bingo!’ !

Let the nightingale free again!

Somebody once said that springtime is the land of awakening; that the March winds are the morning yawn. I believe that’s true. There’s nothing cozier than waking up on a spring Sunday morning, playful rays filtering through the window and resting their selves on your face. Eyelashes fluttering like the fragile wings of butterflies. Then you open your eyes - green orbits lost in café au lait – to see the spring wonderland. How can you not feel the tingles when you pass your finger pads on the tip of the blades? How can you not hear the ladybirds whispering their bliss that a new chapter has begun?

For me, every spring is like a rebirth. Every spring I feel like a child, although I’m conscious that nothing can restore those wonderful moments of childhood, when we used to go in the park and draw little nothings on the pavement, when we used to eat pink cotton candy at the fair or dream to be Cinderella, so that we can find a Prince Charming. Not even spring can bring back the times when I was a tom-boy with scratched knees, when I would climb a tree, when I would take my mother’s wedding dress and prepare my very own ceremony without worrying about the consequences.

Spring is like a natural border between the multiple phases of our existence. Every year, we claim that we are more mature. But is that really true? Do we ever detach ourselves from the world of dolls and mud pies? I know that I still haven’t. But I don’t pretend that I have. The other phase, that we tend to call maturity, is just a fake drawing, a mask, a caricature of childhood. It’s like seeing a child with a wrinkled forehead, tears pouring from his eyes and trembling bottom lip, all because someone destroyed his sand castle. Well, this sand castle represents nothing but years of spring, of living in wonderland, in a fortress. When spring is dispelled, you remain out in the storm, facing the trouble all alone, dealing with other kind of dragons.

And March…March is the moment when you make your first steps. You, like everybody else, are enthusiastic that you’ve finally made it. Slowly, you’ve reached the force to stay on your own feet and you’re proud of it. But, when you least expect it, the snow come back and you are again lost in the squall, only this time is impossible for you to get out.

It’s good that you’ve lived your 17 years. Because time doesn’t go back.

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) - The Pink Sheep of Fashion Has Passed Away

First of all, I want to tell you that I am deeply sorry that this post has to be about something so devastating. I am still in shock and a part of me refuses to believe it, but it seems that the news reports are true.

The entire Fashion World is now wearing the weeds. Lee McQueen, l'enfant terrible of British fashion, as well as founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand has passed away this morning.

All my thoughts are with his family and friends, who must be stunned by this tragic loss. 

You shall never be forgotten, Mr. McQueen!

‘Animal Farm’ – A story of corrupted power

‘No question now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.’

If you read ‘Animal Farm’, by George Orwell, you will understand the profound meaning of these words, which can be a warning for all of us. The book can be considered just a fable, a fairytale if you want, but it has a very symbolic meaning, because it follows the things that led to a distorted form of communism. But what better words to describe the theme than the author‘s himself: ‘(...) it is the history of a revolution that went wrong’.
‘Animal Farm’ tells the story of some animals which feel that they are abused by the farmer Mr. Jones and decide to take over the running of their master’s farm. Everything goes according to the plan until the pigs, considered the brightest animals, get out of hand and start changing the commandments. The short-novel ends with the animals being in the same despotic ruling from the beginning, only that this time the power is in the ‘hands’ of the pigs.
Although the writing is simple and may seem unobstrusive, the mastery of Orwell lies in his capacity of presenting all the horrors of communism through satire and by conceiving a book that can be understood by both children and adults (in different ways, of course).
In ‘Animal Farm’, George Orwell describes how power has turned the pigs from simple animals to ruthless dictators who managed to walk on two legs and carry whips. Even though the book’s strong political message is based on the Russian Revolution, you don’t need to be a genius to understand who the pig leader Napoleon was.
A thing that should attract your attention how the ‘animals’ can be brainwashed, how the pigs can make them do and believe anything. Like in the present, the commandments can be rewritten without the animals even realizing it, because they haven’t paid so much attention to them.
And as much as I would like to believe that this story is just about communism, I can’t ignore all the similarities to the ‘magnificent’ democracy, which has proved to be worse than communism itself. At least then, the ‘pigs’ had the courage to say the truth in your face. Now, all they do is keeping us down for ‘our own good’.
So, as a conclusion, I heartily recommend you this book that is so brilliantly written, yet so accessible to all kinds of people, and which will definitely open your eyes on the society we live in.

'Vol de Jour' by Karl Lagerfeld

         2010 is getting closer and closer. I know it, you know it, Karl knows it. The difference is that his way of showing it is an extravagant one.

         While we were buying champagne and firecrackers, Karl jumped behind the camera again and shot the amazing pre-spring/summer collection for Chanel.

         Starring models Lara Stone and Baptiste Giabiconi (Karl's muse, the very one who posed with only a Chanel blazer and high-heeled shoes), the short movie showcases Chanel clothes, as well as a Chanel motorbike.

         I hope you'll enjoy both the movie and the New Year! May all your wishes come true! And remember: Karl is watching, you demode ones!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!

I worked a while for this, so I hope you'll enjoy it!

Craciun Fericit!
Merry Christmas!
Joyeux Noël!

Frohe Weihnachten!

Yummy in my Tummy! - The Chanel Limited Edition

Bonjour, mes bons amis!/Hallo, liebe Freunde!

Look what I found this morning, in my daily 'haunting for Chanel/Karl stuff'. They created The Chanel Popcorn! Ok, maybe just the Chanel Popcorn bags, but don't you get the idea? Popcorn has officially become FASHIONABLE! Karl is thumbs up on eating it. So eat as much popcorn as you can this year, because next year it will be extremely out-of-date. 

P.S.: I wonder if it's fat-free too.

The Godfather (1972) Review

"I spent my whole life trying not to be careless. Women and children can be careless. But not men."

That’s just one terrific quote you will hear if you see Coppola’s masterpiece, ‘The Godfather’. It is said that nothing can be flawless, but this movie certainly comes close to perfection.
‘The Godfather’, based on the novel with the same name, by Mario Puzzo is more than a simple gangster movie. It’s a classic built of diverse, yet connected stories, which all lead to the magnificent whole, the definite conclusion.
To put it simply, the movie is centered on Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather, head of the mafia family in America. The family is drawn into a war after the Don refuses to take part in the drug businesses. After he is shot and Sonny, his eldest son is killed, the control of the family passes to Michael. Michael is Don Vito’s youngest son, who wants nothing to do with the family business and aspires to become a powerful man through politics. But his destiny is to be the next Godfather.
Along the movie, we can see that Don Vito (played by Marlon Brando) is a very complicated gangster. He believes he is not a killer and puts his family above everything, saying that ‘A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man’. His sympathy for his son Michael is unspoken, yet well-know.
Although Don Vito is the leading character, the one with the most screen time is Michael, played by the brilliant Al Pacino. One of the most impressive things in the movie is to observe Michael’s transformation from an ‘innocent’ to the central manipulator; to see how the one who claimed to be different from the rest of the family becomes even more ruthless than his father.
Another thing that caught my attention is the manner in which the director, Francis Coppola starts and finishes the movie. It all begins with the scene of the wedding, the moment when we all start a ‘family’, and it ends with a baptism, where Michael becomes ‘The Godfather’ and officially replaces his father.
The movie has won three well-deserved Oscars, along with several other awards for acting, directing and music. The acting is superb, with very deep characters played by Marlon Brando, who has attained the status of a legend with his well-known quote: ‘I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse’, James Caan or Diane Keaton. We mustn’t forget about Al Pacino, who, although this wasn’t his most demonstrative performance, has made a wonderful job as Michael Corleone.
All in all, I believe this is one movie which will never get old, and I definitely recommend you to see it. ‘Thank you, Godfather.’

‘Veronika Decides to Die’ – Surrender, Insanity or Love?

‘The girl was playing the music with such soul because she knew she was going to die. And am I not going to die? Where is my soul that I might play the music of my own life with such enthusiasm?’

This is a though question, but a good one indeed. It’s asked by a girl. A simple girl. Just like me. Just like you. Just like everyone in here. Her name is Veronika, she’s 24 years old, she lives in Slovenia and is the protagonist of the book ‘Veronika decides to die’. Our Veronika thinks that she has lived her life and that continuing it will only lead her into misery. That’s why one day she decides to die (hence the title) and chooses the clean way – an overdose of sleeping pills. A failed attempt lands her in Villete, a psychic ward, where she finds out she only has 5 more days to live. That’s when the heroin’s inner debates start. She thinks how she never did something out of place, never got mad, never lived in the heat of the moment! She just surrendered to the society’s perceptions and did whatever seemed the right thing to do. While in Villete, Veronika begins to question the idea of madness and gets to the conclusion that actions which may appear insane to someone can be completely justified to someone else. She then meets some people, among who is Edward, a schizophrenic whom she falls in love with. Veronika quickly learns that love is the biggest risk that humans take and that life is worth living. She is eager to live those last days of her life as if they were a miracle. The girl starts playing the piano, she ‘voices’ her frustrations, her anger and hurt, but also her love and most intimate desires, that were stuck insider her for 24 years, because she was ‘sane’ then.
In her fourth day at the psychic ward, the couple decides that it’s better for them to escape, to live their last day together. But what will be the surprise that stands by the corner? And has Veronika really learned her lesson? Between surrender, love and insanity, what do you think will best define her life, before and after those 5 days?

Recenzie - "Talentatul domn Ripley", Patricia Highsmith

“Lucruri bune despre domnul Ripley? S-ar putea sa-mi ia ceva timp. Tom este talentat. Tom este bland… Tom este frumos...Tom e un mister. Tom nu este un nimeni. Tom are secrete pe care nu vrea sa mi le spuna si mi-as dori s-o faca. Tom are cosmaruri. Asta nu este un lucru bun. Tom are pe cineva care sa-l iubeasca. Asta e un lucru bun. Tom ma striveste. Tom ma striveste...Tom, ma strivesti!”

Acestea sunt doar cateva randuri din fascinantul roman al Patriciei Highsmith, “Talentatul domn Ripley”. Cartea va va soca si va va face sa fiti tulburati. Protagonistul, Tom Ripey, este atat de complex, iar pustiirea pentru care se razbuna este atat credibila, cat si tulburatoare. Povestea vietii pe care Tom o duce si cum aceasta se transforma din absurd in devastator cand destinul i-l scoate in cale pe Dickie Greenleaf face ca aceasta carte sa fie incredibil de intunecata.
O poveste captivanta care iti va atrage atentia inca din primele randuri. Pe scurt, Tom merge in Italia pentru a-l gasi pe Dickie si a-l convinge sa se intoarca in America. Dar odata ajuns acolo, protagonistul realizeaza ca ii plac atat Italia, cat si banii lui Dickie. El vrea sa ramana acolo si va face orice ii sta in putinta pentru a obtine ceea ce-si doreste.
La suprafata, Tom este un personaj bland, care duce o viata trista. Realitatea, insa, este cu totul alta. Tom este un ratat si un hot, un nimeni de 23 de ani, care traieste o viata plina de minciuni. Comite delicte pentru a obtine bani in mod gresit si isi traieste viata fugind de responsabilitati. In anumite puncte nu se pot intelege gandurile si actiunile lui Tom, autoarea facand portretul psihopatului criminal perfect.
Dintre ecranizarile romanului, as spune ca cea a lui Anthony Mingella este cea mai resusita. Cu interpretari din partea lui Matt Damon (Tom Ripley), Jude Law( Dickie Greenleaf) si Gwyneth Paltrow (Marge), filmul este absolut fenomenal. Isi merita toate nominalzarile la Oscar. Ar tebui insa sa stiti ca filmul este mai mult o tragedie romantica, fata de carte, care este un thriller. Din punctul de vedere al lui Highsmith, Ripley este un anti-erou, insa Mingella il face sa para eroul cu ceva defecte, dar care reuseste sa evolueze de-a lungul romanului.
Toate acestea fiind spuse, va sfatuiesc sa vedeti intai filmul, apoi sa cititi cartea pentru a-l intelege cat mai bine pe misteriosul Tom Ripley.

Happy Birthday, Karl! (Karl Who?)

Hmm. You may be wondering who Karl is. Well, I'll give some clues: fashion icon, fingerless gloves, black sunglasses and the famous white ponytail.

Ok. I understand that not many people from Nobody's Land (aka Slatina) have heard of him, so I'm going to give the whole name. Karl Lagerfeld. The fashion genius, King of style and extravagance and last, but not least, the head designer at Chanel.

But although style is timeless, people behind it are not. And no matter how unique he is, our beloved Karl makes no exception to the rule. It is rumored that today is his 76th anniversary, but only the man himself knows if that's really true.

Anyway, I just wanted to wish him a very 'Happy birthday!'. Or should I say 'Bon anniversaire!'? 'Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!'?

Guns N' Roses or Leather N' Jeans? (Use your illusion)

So, today i woke up in a very Guns N' Roses mood. Don't know what hit me, but Slash's image came into my mind and i have to say: Have you seen this guy's hair?! Magnificent! I wonder how can he still maintain it like this.

I know that when many people say 'Guns N' Roses', they think about Axl Rose, but what i think about is biiiig hair, great music, tight leather pants, amazing tees and gorgeous jeans jackets! (Slash's jackets, of course.)

But, talking about their music, if you don't know any song of theirs, you should start listening from now on! I'll recommend you my favorite, 'Don't Cry (Original)', but you can always go with the famous ones, like 'Sweet Child O'Mine' or 'Welcome to the Jungle'.

I really don't know whether this article is about GN'R, fashion or simply Slash. I'll let you choose it. In the mean, here are some pics with the crazy haired guys.

By the way, have you noticed that Slash's checked shirt from the last pic is the same one he wore in MJ's video, 'Give In To Me'? (Which is my second favorite song from MJ - Wonder why?)

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Now playing: Guns N' Roses - Don't Cry (original)

via FoxyTunes

Anna Sui for Target

Although Anna Sui announced a long time ago that she'll be creating a Gossip Girl inspired line, I thought it's better to announce you a few days before it comes out.

So, the line will be released in Target stores and online on the 13th of September and it will have 19 looks, all inspired by the 4 female characters from the TV show Gossip Girl. I have to say that this is a big chance for us, girls to get such nice clothes at prices under 150$.

Beneath, you can see the pictures with the looks sorted by character. So enjoy them and let me know what you think. Would you buy this?

Blair's Outfits

Serena's Outfits

Jenny's Outfits

Vanessa's Outfits

Reducere 35% la Nemira pentru elevi si profesori!!!

Pentru detalii, acceseaza link-ul de mai jos:

http://www.nemira.ro/blog/spune-si-altora-ca-sa-ai-si-tu-35-reducere

Gossip Girl. Cum imi place mie - Cecily Von Ziegesar

Gossip Girl. Cum imi place mie - Cecily Von Ziegesar

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RIP, Michael Jackson.

This is one sad entry.

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson just left us. HE was a great man & musician, an inspiration for most of us.

In the next days there will be said many things about him. Some people will say good words, some won't. I say we should keep the impression we had about him and not let the grumblers spoil Michael's memory.

My condoleances to the Jackson Family.

Read. Contradict. Confute. Believe. Take for granted. Weigh and Consider!

'Why should we read?' That's what most people are asking themselves. I think we all should read so that we pass through life with a bit of knowledge.
But what do we read? Books, magazines, newspapers. Comic books and reviews. Fairytales, if you want. The important thing is that we need to stop throwing books away and shut down the computer.
Reading is what we all need to form our own culture, to have a decent conversation and to understand things.
Someone once said it all begins with a word. A word can mean more than a thousand actions; we say 'Mom' when we are babies, we say 'Yes' when we marry and 'Goodbye' when we die. It all begins and ends with a word.
Let's not waste the magic of all those works that stay in the library and wait for us. Let's not wait for the teacher to force us read! All we have to do is to find something we like: romance, drama, horror - it doesn't matter what our tastes are.
And, in the end, you will see how it all works. You are going to feel better after reading something instead of staying several hours playing on the computer.