Wednesday 19 August 2009

Sour puss!






Why the fudge does La Roux always look so pissed off?
Mabye shes bored?
After all every song on her album sound exactly the same!
Maybe she needs a new hair do?
That usually cheers people up!
or...
Maybe she should just lighten up a tad and get over the pout!

MTutent



How original but yet so genius are these little beauts?

Designed and hand made by Spanish jewelery designer and writer ... MTuent.

The top piece is made from polymer clay and the ring which is totally adjustable is made with base antique copper,silver plated, brass.

They are so sweet (excuse the pun) but they are like a little reminder of afternoon tea on your finger.
They cost $21 and $4 for postage from esty.com
<- That one is my fav! Its like a rich tea dunked into an antique teacup. Mhmm....

Monday 17 August 2009

Morning all!









I've spent the morning studying the insane yet fabulous and mesmerising lives of mother and daughter Edith & Little Eddie Beale




Maybe their lives are something you are already aware of but I have not been until today. Now I'm totally fascinated!

They were a totally isolated mother and daughter combo who went from Deb balls and New York’s Park Avenue society, to almost being evicted from their raccoons infested and dead cats filled home.
Little Eddie was born in 1917 at 987 Madison Avenue (now site to the Carlton Hotel) She had the fantasy upbringing and graduated from Miss Porters School a highly selective all girls school. And had her deb ball on New Years day 1936. She was a child model and dated rich upper class men including J. Paul Getty and Joe Kennedy. The mother daughter duo were always joined at the hip. Mother sang, daughter danced neither of them particularly well. But their unconventional attitude and Bohemian ways were a strong talking point and interest within the upper class in NYC during the 20's. In 1931 her father left the family and in the settlement Edith was left 3 West End rd in the East Hampton's. The estate was called Grey Gardens.
After 5 years living in the exclusive female only Barbizan Hotel upper east side Manhattan little Eddie moved out to live with her mother in the Hampton's.
But after being robbed the will of her father; her mother and little Eddie soon dwindled away any spare money they had and even had to sell off Tiffany jewellery at times in order to make ends meet. In 1968 as the pair had gone out to a party the house was robbed and many antiques were stole. This effected the mentally of Edith and since tat night the 2 very rarely left the house. They began their downward spiral into a life of isolation, poverty and squalor. Until in 1971 Suffolk county Heath dept raided Grey Gardens & the sate in which they were living was unveiled. They would have even been evicted had it not been for Little Eddie's aunt Jackie Kennedy plumbing $32k into cleaning, a new furnace, water works and 1000bags of rubbish to be removed. It was shortly after this the Maysel brothers made a documentary on the life they had lead. It showed just how dysfunctional their day to day living really was. They would argue non stop, dress up in costumes, singing and infestation. This film documentary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mumWYU5aHBU has since became a cult classic.

<- This was were Little Eddie slept
















Edith died of pneumonia in 1977 and Little Eddie began her cabaret career at a Manhattan Night spot much to poor reviews all of which the club owner kept from Eddie's knowledge. She loved performing so much she did 2 gigs every night even through a fever and whilst recovering form cataract surgery.
She continued to live in Grey Gardens for 2 more years until in 1979 she sold it to editor of the Washington Post Ben Bradlee and his wife Sally Quinn. She had agreed to sell it on the terms that they would restore it and not knock it down. She received $220,000 for the sale.
She took the money and moved into rented accommodation and traveled. Her last place of living was in Bal Harbour Florida, Here she stayed in isolation and spent her days writing poetry and corresponding with friends and fans.
On 14th of January 2002 she was found dead in her apartment. She had been dead for 5 days. Her death was discovered by a concerned fan who had been trying to reach her by phone. She died of a heart attack.
She was cremated and interred in Long Islands Locust Cemetery - http://lvcemetery.com/