Painted Paris

"Quand il pleut sur Paris
C'est qu'il est malheureux
Quand il est trop jaloux
De ses millions d'amants
Hum Hum
Il fait gronder sur nous
Son tonnerr' éclatant
Mais le ciel de Paris
N'est pas longtemps cruel
Hum Hum
Pour se fair' pardonner
Il offre un arc en ciel"
-- Edith Piaf

Wanderfly

Awesome stumbling to cure your travel bug. You pick the budget, the travel season (early, mid, or late in whatever month), and the trip duration -- Wanderfly does the rest!

Now the problem is that their first suggestion for 3 days and $600 from Milwaukee in early November is... Cleveland. Heavy sigh. Lottery, anyone?

"Dreams are sweet, until they're not"

Something I've been meaning to write about is an album that a friend of mine, Rebecca, called to my attention. It's called "Hadestown" -- a folk opera by Anais Mitchell, released in 2010. It's the story of Orpheus and Eurydice -- a story I admittedly had to use Wikipedia to learn more about. Orpheus is a legendary poet, musician, and prophet of Greek mythology, whose lovely wife, Eurydice, died from the bite of a viper. Orpheus traveled to the underworld in an attempt to save his wife from death. Once there, Hades agreed that Orpheus could take Eurydice back to the land of the living, but only if he did not look back throughout their journey home (very Lot's wife, I must say!). Of course you can guess that Orpheus does look back, and Eurydice is lost forever. Tragic. And beautiful. Just like this folk opera. Listen here.


((I'm also starting an Eyes&Ears label for music and
videos that aren't quite Prettiful or a Stumbling -- Enjoy!))

Puppies, puddy tats, and... periods.

There are few things that improve upon a visit from Aunt Flo, but pictured you will find two of the few. That's right; they're as cliche as flowers and rainbows -- they're puppies and kittens. I don't even have much else to say about them. They are what they are, and what they are is all kinds of good and snuggly. And sometimes, when you can't have other things that make Aunt Flo feel not-so-bad (like snugs with the Boyfriend or a whole pan of brownies), puppies and kittens make your cramps hurt a little less... and your ovaries hurt a little more. Damn it, Mother Nature! You and Flo are totally in this together.

Wearable art

This isn't wearable art in the traditional sense, but you'll get the idea once you check out all of these great looks inspired by art. I did some shopping over the weekend, and while I came away with some great pieces (new black flats with pom poms on the toes and a grey raincoat belted with a ribbon), I wish I'd stumbled upon this fashion inspiration before my trip to the mall. Oh well — tomorrow's another (shopping) day!

Long weekend, ahoy!

And all I can say is: Thank goodness! I don't have many plans... Them's the breaks when friends are out of town and The Boyfriend works days and nights and weekends (I have to constantly remind myself that I should admire his work ethic, instead of secretly cursing his supplemental restaurant job). But even sans official plans, there are good things in the works — and on the horizon. On the near-horizon: Chinese food and a night at home with the fam — and I plan to do some baking (yum!). On the far-horizon: New York City in little more than a month! And that is a truly thrilling thing.

100 years of style

After my weekend jaunt with "Downton Abbey," I find myself wanting to add a dash of Edwardian style to my own wardrobe — whether or not that can be done in 2011 has yet to be determined. For now, let's just sit back and enjoy "100 Years of Style."