The Case Of The Dangerous Dowager.

I got a box-set of postcards of classic Penguin book-covers. These 3 have the best titles EVER and make me want to read Erie Stanley Gardner. I would not want to meet the Dangerous Dowager in a dark alley late at night. No sir.

Gentry Collection Continues To Grow!

Gentry Number 15 Summer 1955

So excited about my growing collection of Gentry magazines. They are a constant source of wonder and hilarity. This one has a guide to "cooling beverages, and food that can be cooked out of doors in the warm, lazy days of summer ahead". My favourite is the Romanoff Rouser which is described as "not only good before, during and after meals but is also a very handy hangover remedy". It's basically a Bloody Mary but I prefer Romanoff Rouser. Other articles include: Delauney: Pioneer in Abstract Art; Summer on Horseback and The Formal Raincoat.

Window.

I have been planning my new window display this weekend - I think I'm going to do a meadow. Here's the current one, it's still undergoing additions and tweaks. It's much calmer than most of my windows, so it makes a nice change. I wasn't aware of it but I think I was inspired by the sculptures of Ruth Asawa. This is something that Sharlene pointed out to me a couple of days ago. Sharp as a whip that one.

Fanny.

Found a blog called F.B's Diary. It's delicious. All these images come from it. I love the bottom one of Tony Duquette.

Debs.

Love D-Turbs. Wish I lived New York, New York.

Hiroshi Sugimoto.

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Nature of Light

Ram, 2010

These stunning photographs are very quiet. I loves them.

I got a bad review on Yelp today. Yelp is the devil's spawn. I looked at the rest of my reviewer's reviews and they were mostly angry. He yelped our local Sear's so I am obviously in marvellous company. He called my hair dishwater blonde which is a bit rude because anyone can see it's a strawberry hue. Ha. He said I never say hello and am prejudiced against bicycles - which are clearly fibs because I say hello to everyone and often cycle to work myself. Blurgh. I responded and defended myself which I don't think is the point of YELP but I had to defend my family honour. Harold would be proud.

Wystan.

Horst Portraits: 60 Years of Style

Abrams, 2001

I love this picture of W. H. Auden. He was a grand poet. His W. stood for Wystan which is an unusual and magnificent name. It means battlestone in old English.

Prada.

Prada

Abrams, 2010

Hi There New Friend!

New-Expensive-Friend-I-Can't-Afford- To-Hang-Out-With!

You sure are pretty.

Woodbutcher!

Handmade Houses: A Guide To The Woodbutcher's Art

The Scrimshaw Press, 1973

One word. Woodbutcher. Love.

It's my new curse of choice.

"SHUT UP, YOU'RE SUCH A WOODBUTCHER!!!!"

Gentry.

Gentry Magazine Holiday Issue 1952

I only manage to get these in a few times a year because they never appear for sale. It's kind of like a male version of Flair Magazine. This issue includes articles on: The Fine Art of Drinking, Charles Spencer Chaplin and "How The Brigadier Slew The Fox" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. BANANAS.

Mick.

Great tumblr site devoted to Mick

I've always had a thing for Keith but I appreciate Mick - 'specially his young Mick fashion. Now he looks a bit like a tortoise, albeit a handsome tortoise.

Comme Des Garcons! What?!?!?

Unlimited: Comme des Garcons

Heibonsha, 2005

You can't tell but this front cover WOBBLES when you touch it! It should do something amazing because it's $100. I didn't quite know it would be this much when I ordered it. I get them from IDEA BOOKS which are based in the Netherlands so the catalogues are in EUROS which make no sense to me because I am slow-witted. Books on Comme des Garcons and Rei Kawakubo are pretty hard to find though - so I think they will sell like hot cakes.

Aggie.

Illumination:

The Painting of Georgia O'Keeffe, Agnes Pelton, Agnes Martin and Florence Miller Pierce.

OCMA, 2010

Both the works above are by Agnes Martin. I love the name Agnes. Not because of Aggie Deyn, but because I think it's a lovely looking word. I like the A next to the g and the nes. If I ever have a small girl I would consider Agnes - Agnes Spriggs - that's a good name. Although I have said in the past that if I did birth a girl I would try and give it back. I know little boys can smell funny but big boys seem like they would cause less worry than big girls. I know I was a horror and single-handedly sent my mother grey.

Shoes.

Shoes by Colin McDowell

Thames & Hudson, 1989

Happily merging my love for shoes and my love for Colin McDowell - here is "Shoes" by Colin McDowell!!! It's full of facts and figures and fabulous pictures of shoes - but this one of dearly beloved Elton, clearly off his tits, was the one that won my heart.

Viv!

Backstage at the Vivienne Westwood show in London last week, one day I'll be invited. One day. From the British Vogue blog here.

Anni Albers.

The Prints of Anni Albers

Editorial RM, 2009

I prefer the work of Anni to Josef. S'cooler.

Got rained on today, not the best for coldfluplague sufferers but I do feel marginally better today. Tonight I'm going out for cheesecake. This can only help speed my recovery.

Corey Lynn Coulter.

Last month on an incredibly rainy day - the lovely ladies from Corey Lynn Coulter came in and did a photo shoot here with this really cute person from the band A Fine Frenzy. Look at the whole shoot which was in and around Silverlake by clicking HERE.

Rob Pruitt.

Pop Touched Me: The Art of Rob Pruitt

Abrams, 2010

Rob Pruitt does a lot more than just glitter paintings of pandas. But these are my favourites. I love the quote on the backcover of the book from Richard Prince:

"The most important thing about Pruitt is he'll try anything once. Except incest and folk dancing."

THAT'S MY CUSHION!!!! GIVE IT BACK.

That's the Vivienne Westwood for The Rug Company cushion that I have been lusting after! Lusting after a cushion is weird! I know it! But look! It's amazing! It's delicious! It's perfection!

This photo is from Design Sponge - my friend Sabin sent me a link to this story last week and today Fashion Serial Killer (a brilliant blog I visit daily) also mentioned the site. So I thought I too would jump on the bandwagon. I've always wondered - whose band is on the wagon?

Phoebe Philo.

I got this from Coco's Tea Party (one of my favourite fashion blogs), I love Phoebe Philo and have spent the last decade wanting to steal her style. She always looks amazing. And her husband Max Wigram is handsome and looks like an elf (I have an obsession with men who look like they have flown in from the forest). Apparently this shot comes from French Vogue March 2010. I might have to buy it. I normally abstain because I find it hard to justify the money when I can't read the words but I might treat myself.

I am still horribly sick. I'm typing like it's my first time at a keyboard and my legs are wobbly. My head also feels like the top part has been removed and my brain could waft off at any moment. I went to NatureMart this morning and bought lots of vitamins and supplements and stuff that looks like it should make me feel better. Blurgh.

Andy Warhol.

Andy Warhol: Portraits

Phaidon, 2005

I just posted these because I like them. I finished the Patti Smith book on Sunday (v.v.v.v.good), and she mentions how Andy Warhol was an icon of Mapplethorpe's. He was the God of the NY Art World that everyone aspired to be. I got into Warhol in my twenties and read his diaries and all the books I could find on him. I don't remember much about him personally, only that I found him a bit spooky. He reminds me of the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.