Take a Number......

A Weekend of Rodin

Just the perfect sunny weekend to get out. This weekend the Lad and another cutie were staying with the Mistress, so I decided we would be off to see the Rodin Museum in center city. I'm not usually turned on by sculpture, but I can appreciate it. And to see what Rodin could do with it is just amazing. Plus it had been a while since I was there loves, so lets check it out. The Rodin Museum was the gift of movie theater magnate Jules Mastbaum to the city of Philadelphia. Mastbaum began collecting works by Rodin in 1923 with the intent of founding a museum to enrich the lives of his fellow citizens. Just three years later, he had assembled the largest collection of Rodin's works outside Paris, including bronze castings, plaster studies, drawings, prints, letters, and books. In 1926, Mastbaum commissioned French architects Paul Cret and Jacques Gréber to design the Museum building and gardens. Unfortunately, the collector did not live to see his dream realized, but to date, the museum still has the largest collection of Rodin pieces.



Designed by Jacques Gréber as part of the Museum's overall plan, the Rodin Gardens have remained a calm respite from the clatter of the city, even as the Parkway has changed over the years. As Rodin himself knew, the appreciation of works of art is heightened by nature—and that is the goal of the Rodin Gardens. My favorite part of the garden is the reflecting pool in the garden courtyard which evokes calm, and echoes the cool beauty of the building. And I just love fountains.



Auguste Rodin brought monumental public sculpture into the modern era. Though he was well acquainted with the academic traditions and idealized subjects of classical and Renaissance sculpture, Rodin's aim in his work was to be absolutely faithful to nature. His uncanny ability to convey movement and to show the inner feelings of the men and women he portrayed, the use of his light-catching modeling, and his extraordinary use of similar figures in different mediums, have established him as one of the greatest sculptors of all time.







After viewing of so much hard muscly art it was off to get some dinning going on. After much debate, and the decision always left to me, it was off to JG Domestic, which is recently open in a new space, conveniently located directly behind the 30th Street train station. This is chef Jose Garces's place, and his seventh in Philadelphia. Being in the lobby of the Cira Centre— a 29-story glass building that goes disco at night, bedazzled with a multitude of multicolored twinkling lights—I expected the design of the place to blend with the feel of the building. But it stood out against it—with a refined-but-rustic look. Think: exposed wood beams, wood tables, and wood shelves lined with baskets, plants, and metal cans. The last picture is a shot of one section that will be open for dinner. Very cool looking.





I started with the maple-glazed pecans with tiny chunks of bacon and surprise.... a cheese platter, whose selection is constantly changing. I enjoyed a Rogue River blue cheese, Nettle Meadow Kunik, Keswick Creamery tomme, paired with brandied candy walnuts, pumpkin butter, and apple truffle compote. For my dinner I went with the Smoked Bar B Q soft shell crab, which I couldn't finish.



The highlight by far for me though, of that meal was dessert. We treated ourselves to the beignets which come with a bourbon vanilla mouselline, which were out of this world.



After dinner it was back to the Casa, where the Mistress made cock-a-tails and gave us all Borghese facials and settled in to watch movies. A very nice weekend and a relaxing one. The Mistress will be out for most of the upcoming week as Mistress and team will be going window shopping and numerous visits to designer showrooms. This is one of my favorite parts of my job. And maybe....just maybe....I'll finally run into my next husband....Marc Jacobs. Tootles and see ya soon!

Andre Leon Tally Shopping in Paris

Spend time with André Leon Talley in this deleted scene from The September Issue, as he visits Paris, shopping and having a "summer shirt " custom made at the legendary men's haberdasher Charvet - an absolute necessity for" lunching on Karl Lagerfeld's terrace in St. Tropez" I love the scene and he reminds me so much of a good friend, Vera Charles shopping. He is so particular and formal, and you know what? I love it, so old school.

At the Casa du Borghese, We're Serving it Up!

Welcome one and all to the Casa du Borghese, for the Mistress is having a lovely Saturday ice cream social!!! Grab your best weekend eleganaza, preferably in a sorbet color, and come enjoy a rip roaring good time with us and your favortie ice cream treat and some refreshing libations. After all ice cream makes everybody feel better, and spreads much peace through out the land!



Come take a chair in the parlor as the Mistress puts the finishing touches on the Good Humor Man........



So what are your favorite flavors? Do you prefer soft or hard serve? There is something for everyone at the Casa du Borghese, and all homemade!

Come place your order for you selection of ice cream. Try one or try them all!!! My houseboys make a mean bananna split!

From the Desk Of Corey Jo......and Buster Bolfig

My wonderful and always lovely friend Cory Jo from Cory's Dark Corner and Monkey's and Windex, recently sent me a picture of a friend of hers who said she enjoys my blog lots and reads it everyday. I was very touched to hear this and then I got the picture........

Yes. It was true. This is her new kitten Miss Mable. She may be smart and can read, but it must be the bright colors, or she likes the eye candy or the feathers of the drag queens. Either way the feline has good taste!!! Thank you Cory for the good laugh!!!!!

Meanwhile Buster Bolfig Borghese is thrilled that I have declared the fabulous Tabitha, his God Blog Mother! Usually after his outing he enjoys a nice read to see what she is up too over at Bourbon and Pearls.

He's always curious to see if she is in London or Scotland, and is pondering what elegant place she is visiting or what elegance she is wearing. Will it be a Elie Saab or the Marc Jacobs? I think he just wants to see leg. And he is probably smitten with her beauty, as he is, after all, of the male species! And he said she call smell his corn chip scented feet all day, as long as he get pets!


UPDATE- And this just in from Cory Jo......... I do believe Mable and Buster are scheming something.....

That's MISS ROYale to You!

Lattrice Royale ........

has really been the refreshing surprise this season of dragrace! Going into the show, I knew nothing of her, and I have really grown to like her. You go on gurl!!!

The Apprentice Twins?

Now , before you clutch you pearl necklace, don't panic, but the Mistress is not watching the Celebrity Apprentice, I can't even believe there is another season and why? But I watched it on demand just to see the Queen of Mean, Lisa Lampanelli, who's raising her money for the Gay Men's Health Crisis. But is it me or is George Takei moonlighting in drag on the same show as Tia Carrere? If it weren't for seeing them in the boardroom at the same time, I would think he was in drag! And a side observation, Trump junior is starting to get the same crazy hair....yikes!

Won't You Have a Fastnacht?

Today is Fat Tuesday. It is also Fastnacht Day. A fastnacht ia a fluffy pastry similar in texture to a donut. It is usually a non-filled pastry and can be coated in sugar or powdered sugar and most of the time served warm.



Although a true Pennsylvania Dutch person will tell you they are served plain. The exact history of the fastnacht seems to be a great debate. But Fat Tuesday is one day before the beginning of the forty days of lent that will lead up to Easter in the Christian tradition. There are many ingredients,including flour, fat, eggs, and lots of butter. Most of these items are given up for the lent, and durning this period aren't consumed. The problem is what to do with all these contents in the meantime, before they spoil. So the people in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, where this day seems to be the most popular for fastnacht day, make tons of fastnacht and pastries to gorge the family on. And every year I can't help but think of the Mistress's Grandmother, who was always so special to me. She is twevle years gone, but I can remember her in the kitchen, deep frying and making tons of fastnachts for the ladies church function that they would have that day. Plus, she also made enough for the whole neighborhood and the family. So even though she is gone I always keep the tradition alive. Today on my way in to work, I picked up my order of fastnachts at the market, where the lady makes them pretty close tasting to my Grandmother's. Although, I have to admit, I did get a little sugar on mine. This one's for you tootes! And how many times did I say my nuts, I mean, nacht's?

Grande Dame

International Cabaret Artiste Extraordinaire TM and former child-star Shirley Temple Bar is a Irish national treasure. And like many of their greatest national treasures, she was originally found in a ditch before she was scrubbed up and put on proud display. Her first public showing was as a contestant at the Alternative Miss Ireland in 1997. She stole the show and the crown, and a couple of handbags, before setting off on the road to stardom. Shortly after her win, Shirley established her Sunday night Bingo in The George and over 700 shows later she’s still calling the balls. Bingo with Shirley Temple Bar is the original, longest-running and best-known show on the Irish gay scene. Entering its fifteenth year, the show has made The George the place to be on Sundays for generations of gays and thousands of people from all around the world have seen it. Shirley also moonlighted as a TV presenter for the National Lottery game show Telly Bingo on RTE1 for four years. Despite the lure of fame and fortune, Shirley kept up her Sunday show in The George. It’s her spiritual home and childhood playground. There is no show like it.









And the handsome man behing Shirley, Declan Buckley.

Bon chic, bon genre....Anything Goes

I do believe everyone at last night's dinner thought the Mistress was plum crazy! I came across some pictures my mother gave me, I'm slowly trying to get them organized, and one of them was a vintage Citroen that my father had right before he met my mother. It was my grandfathers. I have no idea why he would have gotten rid of such a beauty, or what even happened to it. If only he knew he would have a gay son! Well, at dinner I told everybody I would love to own one of these beauties as my carriage, how chic! I even showed them the picture, the car was similar to the white one in the picture below. Most said they wouldn't be caught dead driving something so eccentric looking, but with me they know anything goes. How can you not love this fashionably chic little carriage?



The Citroen was founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën, Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA, and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that complements the motor car. Within eight years Citroën had become Europe's largest car manufacturer and the 4th largest in the world. The Citroen was a ground-breaking car that not only had beautifully elegant coachwork but was also bristling with advanced technology, and a sleek design. They could be seen all over the French roads and the high roads of Monte Carlo, as well as Europe. Yes, I do believe I could drive one of these. Lucky for my father is he departed.



I have visions of the Mistress in the convertible, you know for the weekend get-aways!





A matching set for pete's sake..... maybe for the houseboys?



I swear, sometimes I think the Mistress was left behind from another era. I'm heading to the Rodin Museum later to view some sculpture. How fun would it be to drive this in town, or for those fun summer road trips to take unlikely adventures? After all,unlikely adventures require unlikely tools!

Drop Those Drawers at the Casa du Borghese...

The sign works like a charm every time here at the Casa du Borghese!!!! Some callers don't think, and take it literal! I'm not complaining. So I hope no one is going commando. It's laundry day at the Casa du Borghese so step right up and drop em! What service do you need?



How cute are these vintage birdie clothes clips? I almost wish I had clothes line just to use them, but alas, the Mistress doesn't like her dainties and un mentionable out for all to see. It's laundry day for the houseboys in their quarters. At least I think they will be doing the laudry, but you know my boys.....


Smoking joints while getting it done.........



Horseplay........



Standing around looking pretty.....



And clogging the rinsing sink.......



OHHHHHH, God love em. They make such a mess, aren't they cute thought? The Mistress will be heading out later for dinner, and is off tomorrow for a three day weekend, so I'm heading to see the Rodin Museum, where there are bound to be all kinds of hard things too see. Tootles, and remember, our laundry service is same day pick up! Just let us now what you want done.