It's 10:07 O'Croc - Ferragamo Time

30.6.09

While in Italy, let's wander to Florence, home of Ferragamo. We perhaps won't walk there in a pair of Ferragamo shoes, even though he was so concerned with making his creations comfortable to wear, he studied anatomy at the University of Southern California.

Let's take our time. After all, we have this perfectly lovely Ferragamo VARA watch, with its white mother of pearl dial and sensually curved stainless steel crown. And if you'd like a change from the gorgeous orange croc strap, it comes with two more interchangeable ones to suit your whim {or trench coat}: dark grey metallized lizard, and violet gros-grain {yes - Violet! - and no lizards or crocs were harmed for this one, so it's even better}.
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Venice is Purrfect

27.6.09

Two of my favourite things captured in one painting: Venice and kitty cats {not necessarily in that order!}

This idyllic domestic Venetian scene was tucked away in a little courtyard we wandered through, gosh knows where. {If you're wondering why I don't know, you can find out here. Nope, there's no good reason, really. I'll do better next time I'm there.}

I like to imagine what may be on the menu for the human carers living there. Perhaps some hearty Pasta el Fagioli followed by some bussolai buranelli pastries collected from the island of Murano earlier that day. And the freshest of sardines for the kitties after a trip to the markets for that sole purrpose, of course. Meow.
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Go "Parking" Chez Julien

25.6.09



A little corner in Paris, thanks to one of from cali's holiday snaps. I guess tattooing the memory of a romantic embrace on one's car door is a lot safer and less prone to gravity as the years pass than emblazoning it on one's back. A very nostalgic-looking voiture! I'm not sure where this Chez Julien is located, but it makes a pretty picture! Update: 1, rue Pont-Louis-Philippe, Paris, 75004 {Thanks, Cali and Alexa.}

Thank you for the cool photo inspiration, Cali!
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I'm so Frilled ...

23.6.09

Et Voilà ~ as promised last time, I've combined colour with frills. But what is it, you scratch your head pondering? Something to put on your car dashboard? No...

It's me, doing a Happy Dance! I won an awesome prize at PopCultureNerd's intelligent and insightful entertainment blog. Yay!! Though she hinted she'd quite enjoy a YouTube video of me doing a happy dance, I opted for a drawing instead. {It seemed appropriate, given my name was drawn from a hat.} Actually, the pink skirt was a late inclusion. I was originally dressed à la Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face but my assurance that I'd provide something colourful and frilly this post called for a little artistic license!

PopCultureNerd is currently on a road trip so wherever you are, petal, I hope this gives you a chuckle!
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LL Cool Grey Too-Tu

20.6.09


I promised there would be something frilly today. And there is... how wonderful that MmeBenaut's unexpected special request as a follow on from the previous post would bring us full circle back to frilly things. {Next time, we shall combine colour with frills, how's that.} If I'm not mistaken, there are shoulder pads in that '80s top LL Cool J's young lady is wearing. Talk about full circle ...
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LL Cool Grey

18.6.09


Here's something a bit different, partly to shock Petrea lest she think I do nothing but gaze upon kittens, roses and pink frilly things morning, noon and night. {Almost, but not quite.}

This little sketch is inspired by a scene in the black and white video clip for Going Back to Cali {no coincidence that from cali, another of our regulars, is quite fond of it!} The song was on the 1989 Walking with a Panther album by LL Cool J ~ which stands for Ladies Love Cool James, though I'm guessing his parents love the perfectly nice name they gave him: James Todd Smith.

James is not wrong in his opinion of himself, if the clip is anything to go by. While the young Ladies' skirts could do with an extra few inches and a more modest camera angle, there are some hip horn parts, and nice retro scenery. And I do love black and white images, so it was a serendipitous excuse to do another one of my own. {Yes, you can expect something frilly next time.}
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Oh Well ... it's Venice Again

16.6.09


At the risk of starting a trend, Venice has been the theme for the past two Tuesdays. So since "three" also begins with the letter "T", I thought I'd tempt you with Venice again today. {Which also begins with a "T". Oooooh. Spooky!}

It's hard to believe, but there are streets in Venice that can be traversed without the aid of a floating vessel. This is one of them. I apologise - yet again - for having no clue where this is. I spent all of my walking time in Venice in a series of ever-increasingly confused spirals. I'd like to say I was intuitively following the Fibonacci series but that would be heavy on the 'fib' and light on the 'acci'. If I'd known back then that blogs would come along, I'd have taken better notes and left some breadcrumbs. {And fattened up some pigeons in the process. I guess there's a reason why street maps were invented.}

I seem to recall that the flat-topped doodad in the centre was an old well, once used to help catch rainwater for the residents of Venice but now just serving as a quaint and lovely decoration, and something helpful to lean your map on that you most sensibly brought with you. Didn't you.
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Sitting Pretty

13.6.09


Elizabeth Arden's Pretty fragrance has a pretty website to suit. And the delicate ruffles of tulle in this dress tap into many a woman's childhood ballerina fancies. I quite fancy myself lounging around on a chaise like this one, gazing into my handheld mirror, cushioned softly and sweetly by intoxicatingly fragrant peonies large enough to warrant the horticultural equivalent of steroid tests, while a butler who looks suspiciously like Hugh Jackman feeds me dark chocolate Cointreau truffles. OK, that last bit isn't in their ad. But it should be...

The fragrance is irresistible, charming and feminine, with a combination of floral, fruit and wood. The bottle was inspired by the shape of a bud vase. If you want to make the daydreaming process easier, you'll be sitting Pretty with this.



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Reflections of Venice

9.6.09


As Alexa is rather fond of Venice, and a goodly number of us share her sentiments, here's another watercolour from my archives.

There was enough light here to cast some pretty reflections of the buildings into the canal. {We'll forget that I wanted to cast my companion at the time into the water for a closer inspection.}

Everyone together: Ahhhhhh, Venezia!
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Never Listen to Chinese Vespas

6.6.09



It was pastel pink and it was all mine. The infamous scooter belonging to the illustrious Eric of Paris Daily Photo had been gifted to me, or so the Chinese whisper had it. And in my mind, it had already arrived. It cleared customs without taxes, thanks to a fine batch of my fudge brownies, wrapped discreetly in plain brown paper and conveyed to the appropriate person. And it was a Pantone colour 1895C pastel pink retro Vespa, with pale mint accents. {I have no clue what the make and colour of Eric's scooter really is. It matters not.} I'd acquired my vintage goggles and Hermès scarf, and an aged black leather cropped bomber jacket, soft as butter.

Sadly, said scooter failed to materialise due to a rather bizarre incident involving a deranged ex-model, a pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos, and a certain someone who was supposed to secure the scooter. {I strongly suspect she had one eye on the Eiffel Tower instead of the ball}. Daydream over. It was fun while it lasted, though ...


PS: News just in {a late inclusion}. The shot from the spycam arrived to reveal a little of what transpired. I see ET Suzy managed to keep a grip on her Eiffel Tower souvenir.

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Awash in Venice

2.6.09


Venice. A while ago. I fell in love with the way the light washed into the water with a soft, fuzzy, out-of-focus driftiness about it. I thought there was magic in the air. Then I re-read the dosage on my herbal travel sickness remedy.

Luckily, that wore off and I was thankful to find the light still danced with the water in a mystical way. Anyhow, it was wet and flooded and overcast this day, so the stone and shadows in this little secluded spot next to a canal seemed to be all kinds of grey. Sorry, I can't tell you where it was. But wherever it was, it was wet. And pretty.
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