Monday, June 19, 2017

WHAT'S NEW BUENOS AIRES?


By time this post I will have been long gone.......
 
My words exactly sister.

And to the good people of Argentina, Don't hold back you are certain to impress. Why you must know I already love you. I'm ready to immerse myself in the South American culture, whatever it takes. I shall return, the city and men providing, but I make no promise. For shall I fall head over heels for a millionaire cigar or wine planation owner....all bets are off. Otherwise I will be back next month..

In the meantime, enjoy my pool. I hear things are looking up.

Tootles
💋

Sunday, June 18, 2017

HAPPY PRIDE 🎈 PHILADELPHIA

Happy Gay Pride PHILADELPHIA!!!!
Gilbert Baker, an openly gay activist born in 1951, grew up in Parsons, Kansas, and went on to serve in the US army for about two years in 1970. After an honorable discharge, Gilbert taught himself to sew. In 1974, Baker met Harvey Milk, an influential gay leader, who three years later challenged Baker to come up with a symbol of pride for the gay community. The original gay pride flag flew in the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978. It has also been suggested that Baker may have been inspired by Judy Garlands singing "Over the Rainbow" and the Stonewall riots that happened a few days after Garland's death . One has to admit,it is certainly one of the flags to put one in a good mood,right, with those bright , cheery colors? Since I couldn't be in town for the festivities.....I am sending my own version for Gay Pride Tidings to all my Tinkerbelles and to my brothers and sisters everywhere!!!

RED-LIFE

Orange-Healing

Yellow- Sunlight

Green- Nature

Indigo- Serenity

Violet- Spirit

I can get bad like that!!!!

After some rain this week, the ominous skies opened up to let in some sun in New Hope........

Not one, but TWO rainbows. Right over the area. What more could we ask from the goddess during Pride Month?

Saturday, June 17, 2017

IN THREE WORDS.....

In this weekly feature, I'll share a picture of a weekly guest and you tell me in only three words what come to mind. In honor of the impending trip.

In three words.....
Eva Peron

Friday, June 16, 2017

HAPPY HOUR WITH CHARLIE HIDES


I have always been a huge fan of the fabulous queen Charlie Hides. While I was shocked to see Charlie leave Drag Race early. To be fair he should never have wasted his time even going on Drag Race. British drag is very different from American drag, in respect to the queens in England, are in tune with their natural talents more so, with many opting to sing with their own voices and original shows, and aren't doing performances that are mostly dancing and lip sync's. Charlie is now back where he belongs being fashionably fabulous and singing his original content. Oddly enough this song was released on the day she was eliminated from the television show, thus being a song showing her ability to move on.   You go gurl!




NOW drink up bitches......IT'S FRIDAY!

Thursday, June 15, 2017

THE GILDED AGE

Now, seeing this post, one might think were in Newport, where I have visited several times, and would agree with you. But this is actually in an area of Philadelphia called Elkin's Park. Someone I just befriended a couple weeks ago, remembered me saying in conversation, my background is in interior design and love architecture, so she asked it I wanted to go have lunch then head over to the Elkins Estate, as she is an events coordinator, and wanted to survey the place for a proposal she's involved in. I must admit...one of the perks to not working lately as been the time to jump at things like this....so of course I went!!!!!!

The Gilded Age interiors of the Elkins Estate in Cheltenham is anything short of incredible, would be a crime against neoclassical architecture. The rolling, 42-acre property and its pairing of Italian High Renaissance-and Elizabethan-revival mansions, designed by architect Horace Trumbauer, come into frame at the front gate with the distinguished nobility of an English country manor.
The estate on Ashbourne Road speaks to a time when Philadelphia’s utility magnates treated themselves like royalty and had no problem showing their accomplishments in the grandeur of their manors. Today, like Trumbauer’s other residential masterpiece nearby, the dilapidating Lynnewood Hall, the mansions of the Elkins Estate are vacant and without a capable owner willing to reactivate the properties with a financially sustainable reuse plan, while attending to upkeep and preservation. For now, the future of this resplendent white elephant remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Elstowe Manor, the crown jewel of the  Elkin's estate, and was built in 1898 by William L. Elkins, the prominent Philadelphia businessman who, along with Peter A.B. Widener, built the Philadelphia Railroad Company and the streetcar monopoly, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company. Elkins was largely responsible also for the production of the first gasoline ever refined from petroleum at Philadelphia’s Monument Oil Works, which was established and operated by Elkins until his partnership with John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil Company in 1875. The interior of the mansion, designed by esteemed French interior designer, Allard et Fils, is an architectural treasure chest filled with heavenly frescoed ceilings, carved mahogany panels, stately marble columns, and an eye popping of watering display of crystal chandeliers, gold leafing, and regal, gilded molding.
Beautiful gardens too.

The estate’s other mansion, Chelten House, was commissioned in 1896 for Elkin’s son, George. We saw only the outside of this one. Imagine having two mansions on the same grounds! The façade of the house is fortified in Wissihickon schist and dark timber. 
After Elkins died in 1903 the estate was passed down to his offspring. By the 1950s, the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’ Ricci had acquired most of the property–they purchased Elstowe Manor from William L. Elkins’ grandson, and Chelten House from Stephen X. Stephano of Stephano Bros', Philadelphia manufacturers of Rameses cigarettes, in 1948. The Dominican Sisters used the two mansions as a religious retreat for women for over 75 years, while taking care of the properties and their original interior features through dedicated conservation. 

Due to the financial pressures of building maintenance expenses and dwindling retreat attendance, the Dominican Sisters closed the Dominican Retreat House in 2006 and sold the entire estate to the New Age nonprofit Land Conservancy of Elkins Park in 2009, which planned to use the property for a large-scale spiritual wellness center and special events venue. By 2010, the conversancy had so far executed a scattershot business plan pitted with small yoga retreats, wedding receptions, performance space for White Pines Productions, and a three-week photo shoot for Victoria’s Secret and was in mortgage default after missing nearly a year’s worth of payments. Possession of the estate was relinquished to the Dominican Sisters in January 2013 following a heated, three-year legal battle over $6.9 million in defaulted mortgage payments.

In 2014 the Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners approved three zoning amendments to clear the way for luxury hotelier Apeiron to purchase the estate and convert Elstowe Manor into a boutique hotel with full-service luxury apartments. The project included using a portion of the 42-acre property for a public arts and cultural destination. To date, Apeiron’s plan has not moved beyond the proposal stage. I only hope one day someone buys it. I'd hate to see such craftsmanship disappear.

ROUGE PEACOCK

As some of you may be aware, one of my favorites animals is a peacock. I'd have several if I had the right accommodations. Contrary to popular belief I don't have any, but if I did, rest assure, my peacock would never pull a stunt like this. Thank heavens it wasn't the gin aisle.


And I can't tell you how many times the good people at my liquor store say the same of me. He wondered in and just wouldn't leave.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

HIDDEN TREASURE 2

When I was  up at the ancestral home last, the Mother and I were doing lots of things around her house, like donating jumble, re-organizing her storage areas and closets, and doing a general sort out. You may recall I even cleaned the family silver which had been packed away for some time. Another of the things we came across were some paintings.

I had seen them before, as they did hang in the home, but my Mother likes to switch thing up. So some were packed away, but now they all hang in the hallway once again. I grew up with these paintings, and I never really noticed the artist. But this time I looked, and it was the name of Emile Gruppe'. I unfortunately have no idea how long they were in the family or where they even came from. Since father is passed, all my mother knows, she remembers my father's parents having them in their home. My father's cousin Marie Stobie was a famous artist on Long Island, so I think I assumed they were her work, till I saw Emile Gruppe's name in the corner. My father's side has always been artistic in some form. My grandparents both loved singing, and my grandfather also painted, as did my dad, but very informal. So I can only assume someone loved art. Since having a lot of extra time I did some research on the artist and found several tidbits.

Emile Albert Gruppé lived between 1896–1978 and was a American painter born in Rochester, New York. Funny part, my dad's family when coming to America, settled in this part of New York and stayed, till my father moved the PA to run one of his uncle's Wall Street Firm's branches in Harrisburg.
Emile lived the early years of his life in the Netherlands as his father Charles Paul Gruppe, painted with the Hague School of Art and acted as a dealer for the Dutch painters in the US. Since my grandfathers family all came from the Netherlands, Holland .... I wonder if someone was a fan of his work?
The family returned permanently to the states around 1913 when rumblings of World War I were brewing. All of Emile’s siblings established themselves in the arts. Gruppe's artistic career began in 1915 but was briefly interrupted in 1917, when he spent a year in the United States Navy. He made his permanent studio in Gloucester, Massachusetts and became a member of the Cape Ann school of artists. Although Gruppe is best known for his variety of impressionistic landscapes, he also painted figures and portraits. His modern style was largely inherited from the French Impressionist Monet. "Lily Pads," date and location unknown, one of Gruppe's landscapes, attests to Monet's influence; it is similar to some of the paintings in Monet's "Water Lily" series.He was the teacher of other famous artists including oil painter Otis Cook of Rockport, Massachusetts, and his work was an influence on Bill Wray, Nathalie Nordstrand, and other painters.

Gruppe's paintings are often seen in major auction galleries, such as Sotheby's, Christies, and Skinners. Auction prices have risen steadily and exceed most Rockport School artists. Gruppe is among the most prominent of Rockport, MA artists, a group that includes: Anthony Thieme, Marguerite Pierson, Antonio Cirino, W Lester Stevens, and Aldro Hibbard.

The top picture and the following are the ones we own.

Probably my favorite.....

Mother and I could never stand this one....it's eerie.

What's interesting when researching, his work always seems to be in these heavy gold frames. Now I'm thinking these are originals, but not sure. My pictures are horrible. From the photos you can see the texture of the oils. They also I know need a professional art clean because of dust. Most of these I do love the feeling they have. When I was little, I created a story for each one, as to what was going on in them. Trying to find pictures of the artist himself was hard, alas, the only two I found are above. My mother is now looking for a gallery or art dealer to come in and see what's the skinny on them. We may just show up yet on Antiques Roadshow. And then, just today, came across THIS interesting story. If anyone reading knows about Emile's work, I loved to know more.

On top of this, we also have what may be a Sheraton or Sheraton reproduction desk.....just more to ponder.....

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

GRANDE DAME....



Seattle's Skyscaper Hostess ...
 And no better queen to feature for Pride Month!!!As a professional Entertainer since 2001, Mama Tits's message is to bring as much laughter, strength and joy to as many people as possible. She's an activist and community builder at heart, and tries to create an environment that we all feel connected and free to be ourselves and live out loud. Mama Tits has been shoved into the limelight since her outstanding schooling of religious protesters since her infamous  pride event in Seattle. Mama Tits released a shot heard ’round the world! Seattle’s LGBTQ Pride festival was not short of its protesters, but this one year, one queen stood above the rest and spouted scripture right back to the bible bangers with a message that got through to the world, and shut them up. If you mess with Mama…. Mama’s not good to you! If your in the Seattle area, or live there, check her out.Mama Tits is most notably known in and around Seattle’s Capitol Hill as the Owner/Producer/Director and Star of “Mimosas with Mama”, now known as “Mimosas Cabaret” –  Seattle’s #1 and Longest running weekly Drag Brunch.