Classic Style. Diana Ross

Nominated for "Lady Sings The Blues" in 1972 - she was robbed of that Oscar!


Diana Ross was wonderful on Oprah today. No controversy or probing questions, it felt very much a celebration of being a seasoned woman who has accomplished so much while keeping her priorites as a working mother in balance. Ms. Ross was relaxed and comfortable in her own skin. Most of all, it was nice to see her children; all adults now and well adjusted. You can tell that beyond being who she is, she is a terrific mother, and will be a great Grandmom as well. She remains a great example of elegance, glamour, class and longevity for me.

Academy Awards Film Notes. All About Eve

A collection of scenes from one of my favorite films of all time. 'All About Eve'; nominated for 14 Academy Awards, an unmatched number of nods until Titanic in 1997. Bette Davis, one of my favorites in film, was nominated as Best  Lead Actress along with Anne Baxter who played the role of Eve.  In fact it's the only film in history to have 4 nominated actresses. Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter were in the Best Supporting Actress category.

With awards there are always controversies of who wins or not and many felt Davis should have been awarded her 3rd statuette for what many to believe one of her finest performances. Bette was an incredible actress with quite an incredible history. Davis was also the only white performer in an acting troupe formed by Hattie McDaniel. The collective also included Lena Horne and Ethel Waters. Her Wiki bio is a must read.

Something For The Weekend. Jody Watley With DJ Yellow

  A Beautiful Life (DJ Yellow 4D Intermmission Mix) by JodyWatley


I've written a lot of songs and I must say on a periodic basis this is one I often go to for the empowering message. This particular mix from DJ Yellow of France takes me to another place almost like I'm floating in space with superpowers while being stealth all at once!
I love the ability of music to transform any given moment or situation.
There's an unplugged piano / vocal version of this song that gives a completely different emotion.

Notes.

Another week has just about gone by. Have you taken time to nuture yourself this week in any way? Have you tried to eat at least one healthy meal, done some form of exercise or stretching? Have you taken a relaxing bath, tuned out 'the noise' for a minute? Have you prayed or meditated; or have you simply gone through the motions of daily routines?

As you steam roll through the daily grind and ahead take care of business, family and so on - don't forget you!

Francois Nars Opens Flagship Store 'NARS' in Manhattan

Photo: Richard Kaplin for the New York Times

Francois Nars'  first stand alone store 'NARS' will be on my radar the next time I visit New York. The boutique opened this month at 413 Bleecker Street in Manhattan.
In the meantime I'm going to try to get my hands on the Limited Edition Bento Box.

Photo: Steven Meisel. Make-Up: NARS Hair: Oribe

 Inside of Store Photo: (via) Refinery29

Quote Of The Day.

"If you want to reach a goal, you must 'see the reaching' in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal. - Zig Ziglar

Pushing The Red Carpet Envelope.

An ensemble like this from Armani Prive Couture Fall 2011 or the minimalist chic of Jil Sander would undoubtedly generate a wave of publicity and headlines. It's not a bad thing to rock a bold choice and not play it safe.

Photo: Craig McDean. VOGUE March 2011

Red Carpet Silhouettes.

Alexander McQueen

Chanel

Elie Saab

Monique Lhullier

Elie Saab

Marchesa

Alexander McQueen

"Vintage"  DIOR

Gaultier. Pants perhaps?

Who will push the envelope on the red carpet at this year's 83rd Academy Awards? Who will be elegant and classic or cutting edge?  Who will get a fashion ticket for daring to be bold or just wrong?!

Quote Of The Day.

"The best time I ever had with Joan Crawford was when I pushed her down the stairs in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane." - Bette Davis

Work It Wednesday. WerK!

I Like His Style. Luis Morais Jewelry

While on the hunt for a nice men's shoe for upcoming 83rd Academy Award's to include on the blog, I came across this Ebony and Black Diamond Bracelet from Luis Morais - made for a man but perfect for a woman too!

Of course, the focus is always on what the women will be wearing on the red carpet, but there's nothing like a well put together man with a good sense of personal style.

His Shoe Game. Lanvin

Lanvin Men's Patent Leather  Oxford

Being that it's Oscar week, it seems appropriate to feature a nice evening shoe.

Nature's Beauty. Sea Salt

Red Hawaiian Sea Salt

Throw out that old box of iodized salt you may have grown up on. Sea salt is a better option with a variety of flavor, color and texture. There's less processing involved with sea salt which is produced from the evaporation of seawater. The more heavily processed table salt is iodized and mined from underground salt deposits.
I find you need less when using sea salt, and of course anything with less processing is healthier in the long run.

There are many varieties of sea salt from Smoked, Truffle, Vanilla, Moist Grey found in the South of France to name a few.  Hawaiian Black Lava Salt sounds perfect for a meat rub for the carnivorous.
I like the presentation as well as the crackling sound the sea salt makes coming out of the grinder like fresh black pepper.
You can find varieties of sea salt at most commercial grocery stores, Trader Joe's and even the grocery section of your local Target store.

Zara. Spring Summer 2011

I like all of these looks.

Quote Of The Day.

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you might look back and realize they were the big things." - Robert Brault