Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Monday, July 29, 2013

73 is the New...


Because it's Ramadan, one of the biggest priorities in getting ourselves settled in our new little flat was making sure that we had access to Egyptian TV.


Sunday, July 28, 2013

All Mod Cons


One Tuesday morning, Irene learned that she could refill her Miltown prescription over the telephone.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Friday, July 26, 2013

From Under My Hat: Ten Things I'm Thinking

Hmmm.  Looks like she's just seen a Pinko...

So the long summer break is slowly winding down; on Monday, it's back to the office, or rather off to a new one.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Beach Party Day Dream


It may be just because the Family's been so much in the news in the last couple of days,* although I think it's more likely because the Mister and I spent the morning braving the DMV, but I've decided that all I really want to do is go to a beach party with Princess Margaret and her pals on Mustique in 1972.  I'll have what she's having, and the gentleman in the back in stripes can stop by my cabana about 4:00, please...

*And yes, I did watch the live cam, and the jury's in:  the kid's a natural - did you see his little wave?

Monday, July 22, 2013

Birthday Girl: So Gay, in a Melancholy Way


This lovely and talented lady would have been 89 today had she not gone to join her fourth and final husband on Fabulon some two years ago.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Among My Souvenirs


Well, the good news is that, except for the books (no shelves yet) we've now opened all the boxes and unpacked almost all of them.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Shameless Saturday Camp Explosion: Telephone Tag


I am strongly drawn to Camp, and almost as strongly offended by it.
That is why I want to talk about it...
- Susan Sontag, "Notes on Camp"

Over in his festive corner of the universe (well, one of two of them, actually - he's prolific.  Among other things, or so I've heard....), dear Jon celebrates the birthday today of a woman who has over the years proved something of a pop changeling.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

It Begins...


OGodOGodOGodOGawd.... as the divine Miss Midler used to moan at the beginning of a particularly choice tirade.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Public Service Announcement


Miss Audrey Meadows makes for a charming spokesperson for "friendliness," a concept we can surely all endorse, but when it comes to her look, the words are most definitely "double knit" and "AquaNet."  And she makes it work, right down to the ascot, no?

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Trip Report

Portrait of the blogger as a young monarch...

So our little jaunt to New York was a great success.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Sunday Scenery and a Domestic Update


I thought it might be nice to have a quiet little moment looking at a new snap of dear Mr. Upen Patel, that longtime Café favorite and Bollywood semi-sensation. Isn't he pretty?

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Shameless Saturday Camp Explosion: Never Looked Lovelier


"...the way of Camp, is not in terms of beauty, but 
in terms of the degree of artifice, of stylization."
- Susan Sontag, "Notes on Camp"

Friday, July 5, 2013

Meanwhile, in the Drawing Room


Lady Viola knew that she could neither forget nor forgive what she had just seen on the hearthrug.  The singular position adopted by her husband and the under footman was perplexing enough, but the presence of both her prize Airedale and her emerald choker was simply inexplicable.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Birthday Country: Doesn't Look a Day Over 236


Franklin has always been one of my favorite Founding Fathers, not least because I have a feeling that on a hot July day in Philadelphia, he'd be up for something a tad more bracing than Kool Aid...

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The Joke is Rather Sad


Well, if we're going to spend an anxious day feverishly checking Twitter updates and surfing around for streaming Arabic television, trying to suss out what's really going on in Cairo, we might as well do it in the ever-splendid company of Dame Shirley.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013