MOOD BOARD

 

 The weekend was very nice weather wise...almost 90 on Saturday. I'm more than ready for the heat...bring on summer I say. The weekend brought about much color with flowers as I was busy in the mother's garden , and we celebrated my aunt and uncle's 68th wedding anniversary!!!! No small feat. They have had a rough year, but came out the other side. After three wars, two pandemics, landing on the moon, and space exploration, living in Alaska when it became a state, many periods of civil unrest, 3 moves, he becoming a physics professor, she a nurse, 6 kids, 8 grandchildren and 2 great grand kids...they have done it. And seen it. Since the last update, they both have been in the hospital again, and the uncle took a terrible fall just Friday over their little dog Sophie...luckily he is alright, just very bruised. Both are doing better then they have been. We finally met their new house care professional, Yvette and she is sooooo wonderful and they all hit it off. She does the laundry and stairs for them, house cleaning, runs errands for them or with them, but does the driving, and any other things that need to be done. She and my aunt are having a ball cooking and baking. Yvette told me she can't believe my aunt cooks and bake from scratch and with all fresh and natural ingredients. A dying art in a world of prepared and all appliance done. After much push back, they have and are hitting it off with her, allowing them to thrive in others areas. Nothing seems to keeps this family down, I swear. And we're all a bunch of colorful characters. Us and all her children were in for the weekend...to celebrate and enjoy our first real together since the pandemic hit. We had copious amounts of homemade lobster ravioli and vino! Seems the color is coming back slowly to life.

IN THREE WORDS

You know what to do. In this weekly feature, I'll share with you all a weekly guest, and you tell me in only three words what come to mind.

In three words...

Carmen Miranda

LEGEND OF CARMEN MIRANDA

"Look at me and tell me if I don’t have Brazil in every curve of my body."

 

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite Hollywood legends and icons...Carmen Miranda, who I think is under appreciated. Happy Birthday Carmen!!! I only wish AMC, OR TMC, would play a day of her movies for us. She brought such a energy to the screen and sure made an entrance.

 

  

If you don't recognize her by her name, you'll definitely recognize her by her iconic image: the lady in fruit hat. Always a lover of fashion and theatre, Carmen herself was named after Bizet's opera, Carmen. Her father's passion for opera inspired her to sing and dance as a little girl and eventually put her talent to use in other ways. Originally being from Portugal, she moved to Rio de Janeiro, singing at festivals and maintaining a job to help with her sister's medical bills. When she wasn't working on hats, a talent she discovered while working at a boutique, she was auditioning on radio shows and creating her own image to stand out from her competition.

 

 

It wasn't often you saw pictures without her usual garb...she had fabulous , glamorous hair.

  

Her competition, however, grew weaker and weaker as she grew more famous and was given a contract in 1929, becoming the first contract singer in Brazil's radio industry. With this exposure, she traveled to other cities to perform as a samba singer and made her screen debut on A Voz Do Carnaval, Alô, Alô Brasil and the 1935 film, Estudantes. Her biggest opportunity came when an American theatre operator saw her perform and made a contract with her to make an American stage debut in Streets of Paris. She spoke a total of four words yet became a huge sensation, so much so that President Roosevelt formally introduced her to the American public as a way to welcome her to the U.S.

 

 

From this welcoming, Carmen shared her refreshing image with Hollywood and Broadway, bringing tropical-chic to the scene. With her new contracts, she was able to produce some of her best work in That Night at Rio, Week-End in Havana, The Gang's All Here and Copacabana. Although she became the highest paid woman in the U.S. by 1945, she continued to make the costumes she appeared in, making them more and more extravagant each time. Her iconic platform heels became taller ,to hide the fact that she was only five feet tall, and designers like Ferragamo created custom designs just for her. Her flamboyant floral, fruity headdresses, turbans and bold accessories became her signature look, never to be forgotten. Although she passed away in 1955 at the age of 46, her image lives on through many artistic outlets today.

 

It wasn't long ago for a party yours truly did my own ode to Carmen......

MEANWHILE....BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION CONTINUES

Now that everyone is good and lit, lets take a peek at the Mistress's birthday debauchery still in progress.......

 

Yup, looks like the Mistress is good and tight. Even one his favorite performers Carmen Miranda stopped by to perform a little ditty. Is anyone ever really dead around here?