tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11485108506103076532024-03-05T01:39:00.948-08:00The Love SpotWelcome to the popular culture blog for Philana Marie Boles. Consider this a lounge to celebrate and appreciate all things fabulous. In fashion, music, books, film or just life...let's make love, not hate. ;)"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-29299160841419036222009-03-27T09:09:00.000-07:002009-03-27T21:16:24.995-07:00The Love Spot has a new home!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKB0mZEfJ9EyAVC5dnvLqbzpdgTzMNd52S6pz6WHVknzYjCVkW3k4yFZV2_lRmod3mXWcFZr644wnk1yIZWiSlLlCnRJTNzahZcos704WcFfrJqZdd9JbQVrE8IuwyDV3sUzsOY_XKYI/s1600-h/MOVING+SIGN.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKB0mZEfJ9EyAVC5dnvLqbzpdgTzMNd52S6pz6WHVknzYjCVkW3k4yFZV2_lRmod3mXWcFZr644wnk1yIZWiSlLlCnRJTNzahZcos704WcFfrJqZdd9JbQVrE8IuwyDV3sUzsOY_XKYI/s400/MOVING+SIGN.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318086891760585170" /><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.philanamarieboles.com/">CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE LOVE SPOT'S NEW (and permanent) HOME</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span>See you there!!! xoxo, pmb</div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-71454005704340515452009-03-18T16:48:00.000-07:002009-03-19T09:14:11.011-07:00I've waited exactly one hundred and sixty three days to tell you this...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp8xujH5UZfbe1ZiYAD5q5WzMpkyFqC-J1WS87eGEKIfle1lNxDekh70lVZ3VwikS0PPvswiK8DDFgscscEaxCglro2nZKGD1nAaREJu9E9yb1wCJfCaBcZ-hydo3QluEgVqQ5-0P708/s1600-h/wintergirls_lha.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314809675283710850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 328px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTp8xujH5UZfbe1ZiYAD5q5WzMpkyFqC-J1WS87eGEKIfle1lNxDekh70lVZ3VwikS0PPvswiK8DDFgscscEaxCglro2nZKGD1nAaREJu9E9yb1wCJfCaBcZ-hydo3QluEgVqQ5-0P708/s400/wintergirls_lha.bmp" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"> </span><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Just before my birthday in October (2008) I received in the mail an advance reader's copy of <em>Wintergirls</em> by Laurie Halse Anderson. I was immediately struck by its cover, so rich and stunning. It literally made me gasp. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"><em>Wintergirls</em> is the newest YA novel by the incomparable <a href="http://writerlady.com/"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Laurie Halse Anderson</span></a>, author of <em>Speak</em> (among other novels). </span><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">The cover for <em>Wintergirls</em> was designed by an immensely </span><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">talented photographer named Alexandre Denomay. What a wonderful and unforgettable image for a book that can only be described as the same.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><em>Speak</em> by Laurie Halse Anderson has, for years, sat on or around my desk as a symbolic reminder of the enchantment that can occur during a reading experience, the achingly beautiful thrill of reading and being touched by an author's authentic characters and fluid prose. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">As an author, I've never wanted to forget that feeling <em>as a reader</em>. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Laurie Halse Anderson's works have unfailingly served as testaments of such beatiful occurrences in literature. What an awesome thing it is when a writer forgoes the pressure to be "plotty" and allows instead their characters to live and breathe and ultimately touch lives naturally.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Sometimes--as a character-driven writer--it can, however, be a downright disheartening challenge to stay dedicated to character amid the constant popularity of contrived plots. I'm not anti such books at all, but, </span><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">as a reader, I've always loved more the experience of an extraordinary character than the opposite (ordinary characters doing extraordinary things). </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">I so often remember the impression of characters--Holden Caufield, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, Astrid Magnussen and Winter Santiaga to name a few--more than I remember, incident by incident, what happened to them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">And now Lia. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Laurie Halse Anderson is one of my literary heros once again. Thank you, <a href="http://www.writerlady.com/"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Laurie Halse Anderson</span></a>, for giving us <em>Lia</em>. </span><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">And, to anyone reading this blog, I have waited one hundred and sixty three day to tell you this...</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">:)</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Go out, <em>today</em>, and purchase (or get from the library) a copy of <em>Wintergirls</em> by Laurie Halse Anderson (Penguin/Viking (ISBN 978-0-670-01110-0). </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">It is yet another of Anderson's incredible contributions to literature. And if you happen to have a teenaged daughter in your life, trust me, this is a book they should experience. Check out the trailer here:<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DIjyJ_tqedc&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DIjyJ_tqedc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Back in October, I read <em>Wintergirls</em> in one weekend. This week, I just re-read it again. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Wow. There really are no other words...</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">But, if you don't trust my enthrallment, here are a few samples of what the critics are saying:<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em>"As difficult as reading this novel can be, it is more difficult to put down." --Publishers Weekly</em></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em>"Due to the author's and the subject's popularity, this should be a much-discussed book, which rises far above the standard problem novel. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review</em></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em></em></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"><em>"Readers will be absorbed by this gripping tale..." ---BCCB, starred review</em></span></div><div><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ffffff;"></span></em></div><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">You will not regret reading <em>Wintergirls</em>, a gripping experience in literature. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">Love!</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><br /><div><a href="http://www,pmarie.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">pmb</span></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#c0c0c0;">P.S. I promise to tell you later, eventually, how it is that I received an advanced copy of this book in the first place. <em>Promise</em>. xoxo :)</span></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-58172054482874464542009-03-18T11:03:00.000-07:002009-03-19T02:18:38.168-07:00Rhymes with Ice (but she's getting hot)...<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#6600cc;">Her jewelry has been worn by many of our beloved pop culture icons, such wonderful divas and fashionistas as: Rashida Jones, Beyonce (seen below in her jewelry), Cameron Diaz, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Ripa, Drew Barrymore, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Academy Award Winning actress Kate Winslet.</span> </span><br /><br /><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314794256280171778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 248px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5yCN-f0qvqrbARp-YLAZHaX6d19n9y8JcC0Q1h5RTn2CYQFIp66A-vQN8bmjCUnzt0SzoIOs72bYsdDfo1ciPXASP60fYkZlXApBZM6lAkeY7_FDzonCeUBNvjPGmz2xbFjpOL1Ba5E/s400/beyonce_katharine+sise+jewelry.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><a href="http://www.katharinesise.com/">Katharine Sise</a> (rhymes with ice) and/or her fabulous jewelry have been prominently featured in such magazines as Glamour, Marie Clair, W. Bazaar, Lucky (who launched her career by anointing her a “designer to watch) and Elle.</span><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#33cc00;">Many of us aspire to own a career using our God given talents and Katharine, too, strived for nothing less in her own life.</span> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#ff99ff;">A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she came to New York City equipped with big dreams and a degree in film, television and theater. She originally hoped to thrive as an actress.</span> </div><div><br /><span style="color:#000099;">And what do most of us hopeless thespians end up doing to make a living starting off, even with a college degree? You guessed it. But when Katy nearly spilled an expensive bottle of champagne on Robert Deniro while waitressing one evening, she knew it wasn’t the job for her. There had to be a better way. Turned out there was.</span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#00cccc;">She put her instinctive talent to work and started designing and selling jewelry and her innovative creations were soon in demand. </span></div><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Katharine Sise and/or her jewelry have appeared on “Good Morning America,” The Oxygen Network”, “The View”, “Live With Regis and Kelly”, “Good Day New York” and one of my personal favorites… “Gossip Girl”. We are so honored and delighted to have her here with us in “The Love Spot” today.</span><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Read on for a Q&A with Katharine Sise. You’ll learn more about why we have so much love for her and her jewelry and also discover some exciting news about what’s coming up in her life... </span></div><span style="color:#ffffff;"><br /><br /><div></span><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: Katy, You have designed jewelry for so many celebrities, is there someone that you have yet to design for that you would like to? And what can do you envision designing for that person?</span> </div><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: Michelle Obama! And I'd design one of my multi-layers with a strand of pearls. A twist on a conservative necklace.</span></div><div><br /><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: I have no doubt that that day is to come. Mrs. Obama came to my mind as well. She is certainly someone that I’d love to see rocking your jewelry. Give us a day in the life of a fabulous jewelry designer. Take us through your creative process...<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314793646723905426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 264px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XWtONNlcGHIOOFMymltnJ9o5gD5IQ7QkF10l61KAQTyTx12n-CBKlAzQlwQQ9CRq3EDT2c5hiFclV-N2NryrxH4sUBv6Dtoh6Gz8pVLjiivwpw1ilj7yuAts26TX68ReQElStg9q2jQ/s400/katharinesisejewelry.png" border="0" /></span></div><br /><div></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: Every day is different depending on what I'm working on. Some days, I may have a specific trend story to make pieces for. If a magazine requests a specific trend, I'll make about 12 to 20 pieces that week for that particular story. Other weeks are spent making orders for boutiques and individual clients.</span></div><br /><div></div><div><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: You mentioned trends, but tell us how a woman/young lady should go about deciding what style of jewelry works specifically for them?</span></div><br /><div></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: I say, whatever jewelry pieces make you feel good the moment you put it on is what you should go with. Vintage jewelry is a great way to achieve a timeless look and works with almost any style. If you have a conservative style, find pieces that you can go to again and again, like a classic stud earring. If you're more experimental by nature, try a bold cuff and a cocktail ring to spice up your look.</span></div><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: I love it! And I think it is that mentality that makes certain celebrities more iconic and stand the test of time for popularity. Who comes to mind when you think of style icons? And why?</span> </div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: To me, a style icon is a woman that knows what works for her. She isn't guided by the trends, though she may incorporate elements of them into her signature style.</span></div><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#00cccc;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: Agreed! Now, as you know the three women dearest to me—my mother, my sister and my niece “Jada” all received jewelry that you specially designed for us this past Christmas (unforgettable by the way) but I am curious about your Mr. Sise line, particularly because father’s day is coming up and dad was a little left out ;) Mr. Sise is your developing men's line and I love it. Some men aren’t so keen on jewelry though and might need to be convinced. What do you say to men who don't think jewelry is for them? And what type of man should consider jewelry as a part of his personal style?</span> </div><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: This is tricky. Many of my male friends (my husband included) only wear their wedding rings. But, if a man is comfortable wearing jewelry, it can be such a great look. I love tough jewelry pieces for men for a laid back or rocker look!<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: Me too. And just to add to what you’ve said, I love it when a man has a statement piece—a bold ring or a stern necklace—because it can really accentuate their masculinity. Besides the men’s line, are there any other things in development that you'd like to share?</span></div><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: This month my jewelry is featured on a few pages of Lucky magazine and in July Target will launch one of my jewelry pieces on their website. Very exciting!<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: Oh congratulations, Katy! You already know how excited I am about your developing career. Finally, as is tradition in our newly re-launched “The Love Spot”, please tell us… how you define love?</span> </div><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: Love is really all there is. If you're filled with love, there isn't room for anything else.</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314792610885160386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHPHrCH7zut7_iLqlihhzZ8hJhk0QB5hbqFCtaj1XGn54IPBcKFBS5JiINAMB-piJKJR230EBqLkl6AFlSW_M4O2mSVjkZgXVkzkn8lPaOUFa3ovWUB9Klaw9jMFQi7y7ynA0ChbJlF4/s400/ahluveblog_katharinesise.jpg" border="0" /><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: And what are three things that you, Katharine Sise, love? Tell us why if you would....</span><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">KS: Family. (That is my mom, dad, sister, brother and my husband.) Dogs. No one does unconditional love like a dog! And books! I feel an instant comfort as soon as I open one.</span></div><span style="color:#00cccc;"><br /><div></span><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#00cccc;">PMB: Awww! And ditto! Thank you Katy!</span> </span></div><span style="color:#3333ff;"><div></span><span style="color:#ffffff;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;">Visit </span></span><a href="http://www.katharinesise.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;">www.katharinesise.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffffff;"> to order her jewelry and follow her career and also be sure to check her out on HSN (The Home Shopping Network) where she co-hosts her own show!</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff99ff;"><em>LOVE!</em></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#ff99ff;"><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/"><em>pmb</em></a></span></div></div></div></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-22750608465733248402009-03-17T14:24:00.000-07:002009-03-19T02:09:01.482-07:00Congrats Melissa! Way to keep it "reel" :) ...<span style="color:#990000;">Along with being a fabulous photographer and budding journalist (not to mention a refreshingly nice person in a world laced with mean girls), Melissa (Stern) Spector has the scoop on digital retouching.</span><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"></span><br /><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Check out this Joel Fendelman produced reel "Beauty is Pixel Deep" to learn exactly what someone like Melissa, a "digital retoucher" does. She tells us very matter-of-factly, which I love, sans moral objectives. Still, I thought this offered a very unique and realistic perspective of the images we see.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;"><em>It is very interesting stuff...<br /></em></span><br /><br /><br /><object height="342" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://current.com/e/89640503/en_US"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><embed src="http://current.com/e/89640503/en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="342" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff99ff;">Love!</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff99ff;"><a href="http://www,pmarie.com/">pmb</a></span>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-60540402532785389072009-03-17T12:41:00.000-07:002009-03-19T01:53:29.077-07:00Givin' em something to blog about...<span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#ffffff;">Hi, so, you know how the story goes...</span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#00cccc;">I go under. I don't blog for awhile. You email me. I tell you I will blog again soon. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#00cccc;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#00cccc;">:)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ff6600;">And finally, eventually, don't I always? ;)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#33cc00;">In addition to working on various upcoming projects, I've been featured on a couple of blogs since the last time we spoke. Please check out my interviews by clicking on these links...</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2009/02/06/philana-marie-boles/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Brown Bookshelf</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><br /><a href="http://sormag.blogspot.com/2008/12/featured-author-philana-marie-boles.html"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sormag</span></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#ffcc66;">More updates soon!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#6600cc;">xoxo and lovvvveeee!!!!</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#6600cc;">pmb</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2009/02/06/philana-marie-boles/"></a>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-19445965329121761642008-12-06T15:41:00.000-08:002008-12-07T17:16:41.900-08:00All love for hats (and a man who makes them). An interview with Albertus Q. Swanepoel...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHHEBNp0FmAF50NwdgGLsiBgu65QNnr6LeKTG1GlCnigLvTchLAq5hclqsf3IisNuqK0L4-fU5CBl5dwjzqN_j8-ue-e0IYleFeISLcfKy2s_b48crITbUfW1dwuCL5Y8Besq6fD0Wp4/s1600-h/CFDA.JPG"> <img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 182px; height: 64px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHHEBNp0FmAF50NwdgGLsiBgu65QNnr6LeKTG1GlCnigLvTchLAq5hclqsf3IisNuqK0L4-fU5CBl5dwjzqN_j8-ue-e0IYleFeISLcfKy2s_b48crITbUfW1dwuCL5Y8Besq6fD0Wp4/s400/CFDA.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277148889931700770" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:verdana;">Recently, the Council of Fashion Designers of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">America (CFDA) and </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Vogue</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> announced the recipients of their fifth annual awards from the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund. Congratulations are in order for the winner—Alexander Wang— and also for the runners up Lisa Mayock, Sophie Buhai, and Albertus Q. Swanepoel.</span></span></span></span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">The CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund (CVFF)</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">was established in 2003 to help emerging talent find continued success in the business of fashion. The winner and runners-up are given the opportunity to meet regularly wi</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">th </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">a team of business mentors and also receive $200,000 ( the runners-up each get $50,000).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><em><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">In the CFDA’s official press release, </span></span></span></span></em><em><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">VOGU<span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><em><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">E</span></span></span></span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Editor in Chief</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Anna Wintour</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> was quoted as </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">saying, "In only the fifth year of the Fashion Fund competition, we know that to win a first or runner-up prize is to receive a very substantial professional boost. The proof lies in the remarkable success of the Fund's previous winners." It was </span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Anna Wintour</span></span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> who also gave the foreword to</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> Vera Wang’s gorgeous pictorial </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Vera Wang On Weddings</span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> (Collins Living), in which Swanepoel crafted all of the hats</span></span></span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Albertus Q. Swanepoel (elegantly pronounced Swan+pool) is a milliner, the only hat-maker ever to be nominated for this most prestigious award, and </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">is primed to evolve from crafter of hats to<span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-family:verdana;"> celebrated fashion icon, not unlike CoCo Chanel—whose first American job was also as<span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-family:verdana;"> a<span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-family:verdana;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-family:verdana;">milliner.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N7r-fGtplsokL0u-PA4UCIarvKGU6j9wKd1tWA0ngz_qqRcD4FAlBn-UsQTMsWURDbaktT_tu7Bih9iNkvqyTRt9vtNQZ300zbqWs9XPdwEHDr0zUXjyCbn28BfRWcQEKEEaModwKJM/s320/VOGUE.jpg" /></span>Origi<span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">nally from </span></span></span></span><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Pretoria</span></span></span></span></st1:city><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">, </span></span></span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">South Africa</span></span></span></span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255);font-family:verdana;">where he was an award-winning fashion d<span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255);font-family:verdana;">esigner, Swanepoel is currently one of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">NYC’s <span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">most note</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">d.</span></span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> Featured in a two-page spread in November’s issue of </span></span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Vogue</span></span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">, he was—earlier this y</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">ear—asked to design a hat for President Elect Barack Obama’s “Runway to Change” fundraising drive (along with A-listers like Juicy Couture, Isaac Mizrahi and Beyonce).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Recently, Albertus welcomed me into his studio for an interview. Here is an excerpt of some of some of our most memorable discussion: </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,0)">pmb: In the ongoing discussion—fashion as art—do you consider yourself an artist?</span></span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,0)"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,0)">Do you consider fashion art?</span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">AQS: I don’t consider fashion art in the traditional sense of</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> the word, no. If anything, fashion is sartorial art—art related to clothing. It’s more of a craft for me. A dress is not going to be in fashion 20 years from now whereas art is timeless. We won’t look at a hat five years from now and still be inspired by it, as we would a Picasso. What we do in fashion is influential, but it’s not art. People are not going to take a Picasso and repaint it. We are constan</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">tly re-creating fashion.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(102,204,204)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">After discussing his work, much of it adorned with South African motifs and flowers, including this desig</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(102,204,204)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">n below that Jennifer Anistan wore on an episode of </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(102,204,204)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">30 Rock...</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrebuwAl9B6MbQ9NRFiYyC9e-oEl-qXfZtImVtgEtLdgqIqV8qfXJ6b3m2rq-ixbE-1BbsDrP9yRtqHtM6n3djFjmJTlC-xTqCEWiW6dLhsEddy-9EQGN-cEUh509_faCQPajV8r6Bp4/s320/Albertus+Swanepoel_JenAniston_Ahluve_pmb.jpg" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,204,204)">I said to Albertus, “Yet so much of your work appears so innovative, so artistic…”</span></span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,204,204)"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AQS: Well, that may be because I love the idea of taking something incredibly expensive and putting it with something that is not; like a hat I crafted with a pom-pom made of a plastic garbage bag. I just think it’s such a whi</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">msical idea. I just personally love to use something when it’s not so fancy and e</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">xpensive looking; and for something to look almost damaged in a way.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">pmb: A lot of women that I know, including myself, love to wear hats, however I realize that there are equal, if not more women who simply won’t. Many women think they just don’t look good in hats...</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AQS: There is a weird misconception, so many women who think that hats don’t fit them, that they don’t have a hat face or that it will mess up their hair. The trick with hats is to make them a matter of contrast. Hats should contrast with your outfit yet compliment it. The same with y</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">our face. If you have an upturned nose, for example, try a downward brim. Round face? Try a square hat. I feel anybody in the world can get the right hat to wear. I don’t buy the excuses.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,102,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">pmb: What about women and/or the fashion </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,102,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">enthused who think hats are not in style?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AQS: Hats get a bad rap. It’s the first thing that is picked on with celebrities. It’s just not that highly regarded anymore. That’s why I personally try to make hats that are very wearable. A hat should be put on and become very personal. Hats are for people who love and appreciate the </span></span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">craft</span></span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> of fashion. There are always more hats in European shows than </span></span></span></span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">York</span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> shows because of their tendency to be more adventurous. We’re definitely seeing a resurgence.</span></span></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(153,51,153)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A milliner known to take a traditionally male fedora and feminize it, Albertus adds this advice for the hat reluct</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(153,51,153)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ant:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AQS: Just have one fantastic hat at least. Try an old vintage fedora with a fairly modern outfit or try a winter fedora in the summer.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On his nod from the CFDA, Albertus, ever assumin</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">g, simply says, “It’s just truly… really amazing.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The same could be said for Albertus Swanepoel and his incredible talent.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">In the tradition of “The It’s All L</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ove” blog, re-born now as “The Love Spot”, I asked Albertus our magic question…</span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">pmb: What is love?</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TyDOcU4okuxRBxFtLiGhewT85r6VfMEMu-HmSGhv-VCxM7jOajbYlF1mK3Na6Fzso33ZZH8W7PMgLFsWmnv-NkHxbSU7I1otN77x0JrPcnFteSEjYra9xizUTwFdbjIxvILiVjSHm6Q/s320/Albertus+Swanepoel_Ahluve_pmb.jpg" /></span><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AQS: Love is a very powerful, intense feeling closest to one's heart: strong yet very fragile. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,204,204)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Having said that, I asked him who or what does he love?</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(0,204,204)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He says his BF, Eddie Marquez, his cat, “Cuculoo Pooker” and opera music, which—much to the chagrin of his assistant—he plays 90% of the time in the studio.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">AQS: My parents took me to the opera when I was a kid. It’s the ultimate art form. When all of those aspects come together—the stage, the costumes, the singing, the orchestra—it’s such an extraordinary experience. It’s an amazing art. And now there are more and more really young singers. It’s not so much just the fat lady singing anymore.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Albertus Swanepoel also digs 80s disco and Frank Sinastra and he loves books, evidence abounds on all the shelves in his studio. He also collects magazines from the 1950s.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And so, here’s why The Love Spot <em>loves Albertus</em>:</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(204,204,204)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Albertus Q. Swanpoel, milliner extraordinaire is an unassuming man, not at all pretentious despite his success; yet he is quietly self-assured. He’s got an unusual name and, well we love unique names, no? :) In a world, a city in particular, where people are coming and going and on to the next thing to do, Albertus is present in the moment. He takes time to ponder before he answers. He listens when you speak to him. And his eyes are sincere. His is a handshake firm and confident yet warm and so genuine. To know Albertus is to adore him and to know his work is to respect it… and to want to wear a hat, right? Here’s hoping.</span></span></span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255)">xoxo and love!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255)"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/">pmb</a></span></span></span></span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(102,51,102)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">P.S. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund event was made possible In partrnership with the GAP, and underwritten by American Express, Appleman Foundation, Barneys New York, Coach, Evgeny Lebedev, Hudson Bay Trading Company, Juicy Couture, Kellwood Company, Liz Claiborne Inc., L’Oréal Paris, Nordstrom, Theory, and VOGUE</span></span></span></span><br /></p>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-56523642800170461702008-12-06T14:09:00.000-08:002008-12-07T20:19:59.818-08:00Like Netflix for magazines... kinda...<span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,102)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">I absolutely LOVE Netflix and until now there hasn't been anything else comparable worth raving about. Like. I. Said. Until... </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,102)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">now. </span></span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,102)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,102)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">:) </span></span></span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(51,255,51);font-size:85%;" >Do you, like me, love magazines? Well ever since my sister started me off when I was very young and, for a gift, she gave me my very own subscription to YM magazine, I've loved the feeling of having my favorite magazines delivered right to my door. Now I even give magazine subscriptions for gifts, including my God children. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">And now comes Maghound! Oh I love it. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,0)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">For one monthly fee you can get multiple magazine subscriptions! You've just got to check it out...</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.maghound.com/"><span style="font-size:130%;">www.maghound.com</span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Love it! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">pmb </span></span></span></div></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-28001176304661576402008-11-12T22:15:00.000-08:002008-12-07T12:43:19.735-08:00Have you read RED?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkeEhoR-Ws8MUUPc5fAN9Zkayz1q1vJlb6TxgMMU_c5OxQxFaYO9Jmxf0ovsEr60gouHSvXDnBubtNwZT91v8zVCgfvLEOefvxY_4n7-jmEf_Bb2i_f78X7MoCkDJHxDNzwhuFIricYc/s1600-h/REDTHEBOOK_cover.gif"><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkeEhoR-Ws8MUUPc5fAN9Zkayz1q1vJlb6TxgMMU_c5OxQxFaYO9Jmxf0ovsEr60gouHSvXDnBubtNwZT91v8zVCgfvLEOefvxY_4n7-jmEf_Bb2i_f78X7MoCkDJHxDNzwhuFIricYc/s320/REDTHEBOOK_cover.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268023959563804146" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;">Red: Teenage Girls in America Write on What Fires Up Their Lives Today</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;">(Plume ISBN 978-0-452-28983-3) is a wonderful collection of essays edited by the enormously talented Amy Goldwasser--as in </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;">Elle, Seventeen, The New Yorker, Vogue, Runner's World, The New York Times, New York... </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;">etc. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Okay, I also think she is exceptionally jazzy for having also hailed from the Midwest, smile, but I digress</span>...) </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">After recently meeting Amy, I read, in one weekend, my autographed copy of </span><a style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);" href="http://www.redthebook.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;">RED</span></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">, now out in paperback. In regard to how the eclectic list of teen essayists was compiled, Amy says in her introduction, "It was really important to me that </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Red</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"> not be based on the stories of a privileged few in large cities on the coast. This book is a true representation of girls across the country, writing across the spectrum of geographic, socioeconomic, political, racial, and religious upbringings."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">DON'T. YOU. JUST. LOVE. THAT?!?!? I sure do.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Teen Vogue </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">calls</span> <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Red</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">, "A must-have." And I agree.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I attended a panel discussion this evening with Amy as moderator. Three of the essayists were present--Kelly Otterness, Olive Panter, Zoe Mendelson and Maya-Catherine Popa--and I thought it remarkable that, while on one hand I wanted to encourage them and applaud these young talented women, clearly they don't need such validation. These women </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">know </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">who they are. Hopefully, after reading this book you will, too! Out now in paperback, I highly recommend it for gift-giving</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">...</span></span><a style="font-family: verdana; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRY4aKjsDvYWbWCKei_iH0aselyO6eDX6SUakBPdjtpVpmQBMnA46THOxUXDnZi3AVBNPLSRazp0KnkOzl3QPiiaaXsOwyfWSQiIlHXff3-Uo3pwKIt2eNuavzeSZ_qwE7gU83CVjl-s/s1600-h/RED.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRY4aKjsDvYWbWCKei_iH0aselyO6eDX6SUakBPdjtpVpmQBMnA46THOxUXDnZi3AVBNPLSRazp0KnkOzl3QPiiaaXsOwyfWSQiIlHXff3-Uo3pwKIt2eNuavzeSZ_qwE7gU83CVjl-s/s320/RED.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268022786147604802" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"> </span>(Sorry, the season is approaching and why not start making suggestions now? smile...)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-family:verdana;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I love</span> <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Red </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">and particularly admire Amy's colorblind inclusiveness of its authors. I hope she's igniting not a trend but a new truth in literature.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Sigh.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I'm a bit inspired tonight. (Those closest to me would say... </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Philana when are you NOT inpired? LOL) </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">But seriously, our country is evolving into an America where so many previously unheard voices are carving out ways to co-exist and tonight I'm particularly thankful for that.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I don't think it necessary, in our progress, to eradicate any voices in order for others to be heard, yet </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">balance </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">in literature is in desperate need. Entertainment is a force of influence on young girls and it is warming to have some of the void of diversity filled via this book. There is so much room for everyone at the table. And it is okay to have a selection of books from which to choose, no?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Red </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">is a new classic, a quiet storm collection of voices--not shouting--but just speaking... </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">and being heard</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-family:verdana;font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">You've gotta dig that. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;">Dr. Maya Angelou put it best last week, when she simply concluded, "I'm an </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;">American, </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;">baby!" Thank God for a country where everyone has a right--and is getting more opportunities--to be heard. <span style="font-size:100%;">Amy Goldwasser has made a way for 58 teenaged girls to do just that.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-family:verdana;"><br />Get this book! Read it. And, as always.... <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">love</span>!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);font-family:verdana;">xoxo...</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204);font-family:verdana;"><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/">pmb</a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204); font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 204); font-family:verdana;">UPDATE: For any New Yorkers reading, this just in via email from Amy Goldwasser: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Please join two sensational lineups of local and visiting RED authors, reading from new work:<br />THURS, DEC 11, 6:30p<br />The Lower East Side Tenement Museum<br />108 Orchard Street (two doors south of Delancey)<br /><br />TUES, DEC 16, 7:00p<br />Community Bookstore<br />143 Seventh Avenue (in Park Slope, between Carroll and Garfield Sts.)</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Hope you can make it out and support! pmb</span></span></span></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-8204081394606045162008-11-10T09:09:00.000-08:002008-12-07T12:42:49.421-08:00Winter Divas...<span style="COLOR: rgb(204,255,255);font-family:verdana;">So, the other day my friend Jae sent a "girl talk" email, a list of "5 things that every woman should have in her wardrobe." She wanted to know if we all agreed. And, for the most part, I did. The black slacks. The perfect white shirt. The perfect pair of jeans--though I rarely wear them--okay, yes. I agree. I can't remember what the other two were but it was definitely a list of staples. Okay, I did think to myself that added to the list should be an essential black leather skirt for those dump him and move on goodbye dinners--<span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Oops</span>... Did I just say that?<br /><br />;)<br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255); FONT-STYLE: italic">Anyhoo, so I pondered further...</span></span> <div><br /></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,102)">What then are the five things that every </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,102); FONT-STYLE: italic">diva</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,102)">--in the fabulous sense of the word--must have in her winter wardrobe?</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">1. <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">A cropped leather jacket</span>, preferably black. My personal favorite is by </span><a style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)" href="http://www.kennethcole.com/">Kenneth Cole </a><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">who managed to keep the cut sexy but classic.</span> </div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS500H8wcgEnebirbFVXvwHh0KC7TCxmh1tSNSukZOB9E_RFAeeeeVFHvYFPiEWtin1nKS_ZDWmVILM3uJpOZjnEtjTUKcm24kNz8X1FxUj4rtlU1veyE8yvndGcmq2kg1kmQVBAQpEds/s1600-h/kennethcoleleatherjacket.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267274434997253762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS500H8wcgEnebirbFVXvwHh0KC7TCxmh1tSNSukZOB9E_RFAeeeeVFHvYFPiEWtin1nKS_ZDWmVILM3uJpOZjnEtjTUKcm24kNz8X1FxUj4rtlU1veyE8yvndGcmq2kg1kmQVBAQpEds/s320/kennethcoleleatherjacket.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">Love it. This year, I've also got my eye on </span><a style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)" href="http://www.andrewmarc.com/">Andrew Marc</a><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,51,255)">.</span><br /><br /><br /></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102)">2. <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">A distinct accent hat</span>, at least one. Fashionistas are buzzing about the resurgence of hats but actually true divas--from the Kentucky Derby to the Cowgirls in Dallas to church ladies to England's most fabulous--never stopped rocking them--and not just on bad hair days. The key is to downplay accessories when wearing one and to always wear </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102); FONT-STYLE: italic">it</span><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102)"> as opposed to vice versa. A hat should be an accent not a statement. A true diva, I have a hat box collection full of everything from cowgirl hats (including the one from <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Blame It on Eve's</span> author photo) to Kangols to fedoras to the Cooley High looking floppy one I swiped from my dad's 1970's collection on its way to the Goodwill :)</span><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">*BTW, In regard to hats, stay tuned for a very VERY special guest in "The Love Spot"!!!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zh0PZqUolsJ4Sk7XGGidPONcZLRRmx-dEfLSB53eKNkviDfs1WQDNh5_sGVGdwtzZZii-DDKSizT89JAwz2fRzrrKLxX70kkpI-5sq8fslQDhd8l8xCQmB4TFIS9okLZSJXHd0QTtfQ/s1600-h/knee-high-boots1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267282374179467890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zh0PZqUolsJ4Sk7XGGidPONcZLRRmx-dEfLSB53eKNkviDfs1WQDNh5_sGVGdwtzZZii-DDKSizT89JAwz2fRzrrKLxX70kkpI-5sq8fslQDhd8l8xCQmB4TFIS9okLZSJXHd0QTtfQ/s320/knee-high-boots1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,255,51)">3. <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Knee-high boots</span>. </span>My current favorites? T</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,255,51)">he "No</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(51,255,51)">ra" by </span><b><span style="COLOR: rgb(51,255,51)">Gabriella Rocha.</span><br /></b><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,51,204)">4. <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">Studs. </span>Now, I happen to be a pearl or diamond stud diva, but birthstones are nice. What a fabulous statement--a glistening stud revealed after the removal of muffs or a</span><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,51,204)">love</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="COLOR: rgb(204,51,204)" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVv6KzWV8chewdn0c57SlT68HFY6cERBbMk2nzY6-22_CwM2YJ3NHsjIm53kfmYpR5jca2ea38OS_4ZiRXURGTi1Q8yv64bqBy4ECA0N0K7kminJZsbDKiCggAdoy5Pp1mvqp59rGKh9I/s1600-h/dstuds.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267283979319626034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 94px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 99px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVv6KzWV8chewdn0c57SlT68HFY6cERBbMk2nzY6-22_CwM2YJ3NHsjIm53kfmYpR5jca2ea38OS_4ZiRXURGTi1Q8yv64bqBy4ECA0N0K7kminJZsbDKiCggAdoy5Pp1mvqp59rGKh9I/s320/dstuds.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(204,51,204)">ly glisten against a low pulled wool hat.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,204,204)">5. <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)">A lovely fur jacket.</span> DSCLAIMER--in true diva fashion, it is fine, celebratory in fact, if it's faux. Those of you who recall the orginial "It's all love blogspot" know that I must say that it is--as I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER RUN IN WITH the you know who people from the ethical treatment of the you know whats--okay to rock faux, ladies. Rock! Faux! It's fine ;) even fabulous. Just keep it fly...</span><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB1XTjD19dPxaLCLmoP52ZkMn76IY0InH7onXJynDl0vm8SGuJQWsLIniK3yo5dpbGm4dWbsHD5MqlRzxvgx51fPZAmU5tUtKpmMc97GfcfD_j78nrQ9zobLpyeuj71NhR1yhSQc_n3o/s1600-h/furjacket.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267287621361869282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 157px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB1XTjD19dPxaLCLmoP52ZkMn76IY0InH7onXJynDl0vm8SGuJQWsLIniK3yo5dpbGm4dWbsHD5MqlRzxvgx51fPZAmU5tUtKpmMc97GfcfD_j78nrQ9zobLpyeuj71NhR1yhSQc_n3o/s320/furjacket.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,204)">Love!</span><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,204)" href="http://www.pmarie.com/">pmb</a></span><br /><br /></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-26943871895649957062008-11-10T08:19:00.000-08:002008-12-07T12:43:46.123-08:00Random thoughts... why I love NYC...<span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">Having exhausted the cash I had in my wallet, I had to have the cashier at Walbaums charge the balance to my debit card. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">So, I really was sincere when I left the store, when a panhandler asked if I had a dollar to spare.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">"I'm sorry," I said, "Just spent my last dollar. I don't have any more cash on me."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">His reply?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">After smacking his lips, "You could have just used your debit card." </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">Only. In. New. York. Only here, yall. What a city. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);">Heart cha! </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/"><span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);">pmb</span></a>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-53883741734073295322008-10-07T16:16:00.000-07:002008-12-07T12:44:25.261-08:00On why I love coffee shops (and especially Starbucks these days)...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><div><br /></div>The funny thing is, I don't drink coffee. </span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Had my last sip at Cosmo's on E. Wooster in Bowling Green, Ohi</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">o, home of Bowling Green State University, my collegiate alma mater. Probably, it was on a late night with my fellow inspired peers. Probably, we were discussing life, our futures, the worl<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">d. It's complexities. What it could, might or would probably entail. How we were going to change it. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Maybe it was while shooting the shit, sitting</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> with such ease yet such an intense need to cling to every word, hoping to learn from my writing profs, Dr. Messer and Dr. Zackel, who always had the time to chat. About writing. About life. And with whom the silence, when it came, was never awkward. I miss those days.</span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But I do </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">not</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> miss coffee. :) </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I still frequent coffee shops despite Cosmo's being hundreds of miles and several years away. The atmosphere, for a writer, an intellectual, a thinker is just a perfect mix of people and mood and quiet inspiration. Just a few things I observed/overheard over the summer while writing in coffee shops throughout New York City...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"Honey, I'm still in New Jersey. Working over. Call you back later..." ~ A woman, mid forties, leaving a voice mail as she sits nestled and holding hands with a man behind me. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Coffee shop employee: Sorry. We're closing. The machines are off.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fly urban guy rockin' tats and a hoodie: Man, come on... I can't just get a quick latte?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ah, as a writer, I love it! </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I've met musicians and artists and teachers and fellow writers. I share space with regulars--a med student and a woman out of work who researches/sends resumes via email all day--and we often encourage one another. "How's it going?" or "Any news?" We offer to one another. I do not even know their names. Yet, we are on a common pulse. There is something lovely about a coffee shop's atmosphere. Particularly, when you are are regular. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Just today, a man sitting near me in workboots and garage shop gear got a call on his cell phone. "Nothing much," he said. "Just sipping a cup and flipping through a mag. Probably head on home in a bit. Long day."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Today, the lady at Border's "Seatlle's Best" Cafe knew my order before I even opened my mouth. I could do nothing but smile. It's a subculture, I believe, the coffee house experience. And sometimes, if you frequent often enough, it becomes familial in atmosphere. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">These are some of the reasons I love coffee shops, though I don't drink coffee. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And there is a particular reason why I really, really love Starbucks these days!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was a Monday, in Manhattan, the last time I recalled having my sunglasses. On Tuesday, I spent the evening at a Starbucks in Queens. On Wednesday, the sun was gleaming. I reached for my sunglasses, most often sitting atop my head, and I realized...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I had not seen nor worn them since Monday. I retraced all of my steps, checked all of my bags and pockets and... even in places of the house where I haven't been in days... like a box my mother sent a month ago and under the bathroom sink. Panic will do that. My mind raced. Had I thrown them away? I searched my car. I searched under the couch. I searched...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And I realized. I would likely never see my sunglasses again. I had visions of some fly mama smiling as she hailed a cab, looking nothing like me at all yet familiar in the eyes. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">OH, before you think, "Get over it, Philana. Sunglasses. Not. A. Big. Deal," which I know you probably are...</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">GUCCI. Yes. Gucci sunglasses. And on top of that, a GIFT from someone. And I'd only had them a year. I do not covet material things nor do I worship them but... forgive me, I kinda have a thing for Gucci. And for Gucci gifts. Can my fly girls make some noise, please?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">{{{{{{{{{{{{ insert applause and cheers from fellow fly girls}}}}}}}}}}}}}}</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So anyhow, on Thursday, as life does go on, I'm in Starbucks, waiting on my order and, in a weak and probably pitifully hopeless tone, I asked Gabe, the guy who often waits on me, "Do you guys have a lost and found at all?"</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">One eyebrow raised, he says, "Why... You lose something?"</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"Yeah..."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"What'd you lose?"</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"(sigh) Sun (gulp) glasses..."</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He smiles, "Gucci?"</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So, it turned out that the last time I had them </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">hadn't </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">been Monday in Manhattan, as I remembered. It was Tuesday. In Queens. At Starbucks. And they'd been there ever since. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">They could have put them on Ebay. They could have sold them to a friend. They could have kept them. Instead, Gabe informed me they'd kept them safely in back, "Hoping that the owner would check in." He was pleasantly surprised that they were mine. I was pleasantly surprised that they were now back in my hand.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Okay, I'm lying. I was ECSTATIC. I wanted to jump over the counter and hug them all. I wanted to interrupt everyone working in the entire coffee shop that day and tell them my wonderful news. I wanted to cry. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Trust me.... I lived most of my life, until last year, without owning a pair of Gucci sunglasses. I would have been fine without them, no doubt. And it was the sentiment behind the sunglasses that mattered, not the gift itself, so I had accepted that as well. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But what excited me the most was knowing, having yet another pleasant reminder, that karma does come back. That when you try to do good sometimes it will come back to you when you least expect it. That there are, despite what we sometimes feel to believe, just really good people existing in this world. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A few of them work at a Starbucks in Queens. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I left a phat tip in their jar that day and made sure to tell the manager. As luck, or divine order perhaps, would have it, Rosa Grajeda, the fabulous woman who is the </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">district </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">manager happened to be in the house for a meeting that day. Of course, I requested that the manager ask her to stop by my table if she had time before leaving. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And she did. It was a moment, of course, of encouragement for her--knowing the type of honest employees that Starbucks has working for them--but it was also a moment, woman to woman, fly chic to fly chic, of understanding. Gucci. Okay? :)</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I promised Gabe and Rosa that I'd blog about this experience, one that I'll never forget. And I promise you that that this is just yet another reason why I really love being a member of the coffee shop culture. </span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Having drank more than a lifetime's share of coffee in undergrad by that way, I now drink tea. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Grande (or Medium, like today) "Refresh". Depending on the lingo of house I'm in. I love 'em all. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">xoxo,</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">P. Marie </span></span></span></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-27991322260002145232008-09-23T13:58:00.000-07:002008-12-07T12:45:21.192-08:00by Philana Marie Boles... UPDATE<span style="color:#33ffff;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The publishing world is wonderful. Books are everywhere, aren't they? So often, books are the framework - if not <em>topic - </em>of political round tables, talk shows, girl-talk, peer talk, amongst colleagues and even on dates. </span></span><br /><span style="color:#33ffff;"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As an author, I am often inspired to see so many people - despite all of our wonderful choices for entertainment and ways to feed our brains - are still picking up books. And reading them ;)</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And I'm blessed to have had Random House and Harper Collins publish three that I've written: <em>Blame It on Eve</em>, <em>In the Paint</em> and <em>Little Divas</em>. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That being said, I have publication news :) </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My sophomore effort, <em>In the Paint</em>, was just re-released as an "e-book" for all you Sony Reader and Kindle enthusiasts. <em><span style="color:#cccccc;">(Disclaimer: I have no idea how to use either but then I am also still hopelessly in love with the crackle sound that an LP makes and I have just finally fully upgraded from film that has to be developed to a digital camera, but only because it was given to me by my dad as a gift!)</span>.</em> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I appreciate technology but let's just say I'm a little slow about embracing it. Working. On. That. :) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbInjQdKwT9OG_rLUnut4IpfIp6YD9gVFbjHle2ilmWzMRUI7TnP5SiLHaTp27RSnjHcpXDMKifiuj6TolmMgFHAID57QremVVoxIoxsta7_Ry_x7-e8581yaPfUzidh6D3xLkWLV2ZZY/s1600-h/coverofinthepaint.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252298178433344050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 147px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px" height="162" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbInjQdKwT9OG_rLUnut4IpfIp6YD9gVFbjHle2ilmWzMRUI7TnP5SiLHaTp27RSnjHcpXDMKifiuj6TolmMgFHAID57QremVVoxIoxsta7_Ry_x7-e8581yaPfUzidh6D3xLkWLV2ZZY/s320/coverofinthepaint.bmp" width="147" border="0" /></a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So anyhow, you <a href="http://ebookstore.sony.com/product/400/000/000/000/000/090/985/400000000000000090985.html">can now order In the Paint officially as something called an e-book</a>. Yeah!!! {{{{{{{{ applause and confetti }}}}}}}} </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#33ffff;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">:)</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And guess what else? Little Divas, my debut for young readers (tweens in particular) - afte<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWhNlOj6xAKkvHq9OL5YIcZhIqq0nFE1Qu6rYuM0BZphWSi0NmtdqdEcOHs4iPyE5EbXRnnyprqKhrYiRFY6xEdCxraLLbBPRpp2Q4QSGGuSgZZ4xO8u0a0us7bIXdsn4lYLgrmHEQzQ/s1600-h/LittleDivasPB_coverHIGERRES.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252298967860961346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 192px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 277px" height="300" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWhNlOj6xAKkvHq9OL5YIcZhIqq0nFE1Qu6rYuM0BZphWSi0NmtdqdEcOHs4iPyE5EbXRnnyprqKhrYiRFY6xEdCxraLLbBPRpp2Q4QSGGuSgZZ4xO8u0a0us7bIXdsn4lYLgrmHEQzQ/s320/LittleDivasPB_coverHIGERRES.JPG" width="216" border="0" /></a>r success in hardback -was just released today in paperback. With a new cover and an economy friendly price ($5.99) I hope you'll consider it the next time you're <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Divas-Philana-Marie-Boles/dp/0060733012/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223168905&sr=8-1">shopping online</a> or at your favorite bookstore. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Otherwise, to update (because it's been a year since I pulled my blog) I'm still ghostwriting memoirs and non-fiction projects and freelancing as a journalist. I am also working on more offerings of my own. Blessings to count. Optimism worth beholding. And I'm thankful.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 255, 255); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color:#33ffff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I don't know what the future holds. But I know who holds my future. :) To God be the glory!<br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">xoxo... and LOVE!</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/"><span style="font-size:130%;">P. Marie</span></a></div>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-63693175338746616192008-09-21T13:13:00.000-07:002008-12-07T12:45:58.101-08:00Fashion WEEK? Fashion FOREVER... (an ode to Oscar de la Renta)<span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.oscardelarenta.com/">Oscar de la Renta’s</a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> name is synonymous with authentic grace and true sophistication and his spring 2009 RTW prevailed as evidence sustained. </span></span></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In what is the ongoing subliminal conversation in our society regarding fashion—it's place in history, whether or not it is art, it's contribution to popular culture—de la Renta's is p</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61Tz2Tr970QCJm5SBM69nDyasRCqmM45fwtD25ZZiolaR_w-LtZIhvjOaCRooWFYBXKrY1LAAOVcp0wsaY8qHumnMobOTvbw1EhQofIxCCgpwvezd0H0Hso9L7fFsvPDBsDWvqWNimAc/s1600-h/DelaRenta.JPG"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252288600945132274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 165px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px" height="260" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61Tz2Tr970QCJm5SBM69nDyasRCqmM45fwtD25ZZiolaR_w-LtZIhvjOaCRooWFYBXKrY1LAAOVcp0wsaY8qHumnMobOTvbw1EhQofIxCCgpwvezd0H0Hso9L7fFsvPDBsDWvqWNimAc/s320/DelaRenta.JPG" width="237" border="0" /></span></a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">erhaps </span></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span">the</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> brand relied upon for the tried, the true, and the proven. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)">When I was a little girl and my mother spoke of glamour, so often it was the work of Oscar de la Renta that we discussed. As a young woman now, I truly understand his gift of elegance. </span><br /><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></span></o:p></span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oscar de la Renta's spring 2009 collection, showcased during Fashion Week, was a show void of all the ballyhoos we see with so many rising fashion stars/artists. There was no evidence that de la Renta may in any way be surrendering to the budding competition amongst designers for artistic expressionism. </span></span></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51);font-family:trebuchet ms;">Even the makeup exuded sophistication—eyes in smoked out glamour, cheeks shimmering in subtle pink and lips in a color described as “antique gold”! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)">And the palate of the fabrics—black, camel brown, Kelly green, blush pink and true red—proved that there remains in fashion the presence of classic refinement. </span><br /></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 26px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not to worry. Oscar de la Renta offered hints of his brilliant innovation as well--the classic pantsuit with it's relaxed-structure for example.</span></span></span></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 26px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The show was Jackie O’s glamour defined (her sister Lee Radizwell was on the front row) and Vogue's Anna Wintour’s sophistication explained (she too sat immediate to the stage.) </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 26px"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span">But also, as</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">proof to Oscar’s appeal to us in younger generations who are sometimes less impressed by what’s hot and more by what is timeless, so sat Genevieve Jones and even Jennifer "J-Lo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-Snn4hf4QCzBuayQ1ZFdJE_2Q3yQvQYXzNIzOti-cKNwCg8nL7ToxBOvEfzngHTaZTdJVMtX8Pn9-7oZxfxS857R2cuoLq-dbXDz2wjiBAEiN4HvXFoOKlF3a9EbjtedGWg0kXR0Ct0/s1600-h/ODLR.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252319576751060082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 132px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 205px" height="282" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-Snn4hf4QCzBuayQ1ZFdJE_2Q3yQvQYXzNIzOti-cKNwCg8nL7ToxBOvEfzngHTaZTdJVMtX8Pn9-7oZxfxS857R2cuoLq-dbXDz2wjiBAEiN4HvXFoOKlF3a9EbjtedGWg0kXR0Ct0/s320/ODLR.JPG" width="214" border="0" /></a>" Lopez (one of my personal style icons) up close. </span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 26px"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span">Remember how Jenna Bush requested de la Renta to design her wedding gown this past spring? How evidence was </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">that? </span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><o:p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"><span class="Apple-style-span">If grace were given a scent and elegance a smell, that would describe the imagined aroma present during Oscar de la Renta's show.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: normal; font-family:Georgia;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" color: rgb(255, 204, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was—as is his legacy—pure, refreshing, timeless and</span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style=" color: rgb(255, 204, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><em><span style=" color: rgb(255, 204, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">beautiful</span></span></em><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" color: rgb(255, 204, 51); font-family:'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51);font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51);font-family:trebuchet ms;">Love!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,204,51)"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%;font-family:'Rage Italic';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/">P. Marie</a></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><p></p>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-10167266798005684262008-09-18T12:32:00.000-07:002008-12-07T12:46:52.168-08:00On Presidents... (with a note to Howard University!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42rQP1rYTbYEr2Ums57M1LzJojxV2sUahYehUNECN3YwQZZK6Qx-wohRaMkWnuc9V1jA3_mIrIfpipyeLc0o9Ni9nIWJgkgiLg4rct9aiuZE7xdxsGmRrK2v2xxJZprP0xDRMrmyYGzE/s1600-h/President+Reagan+and+Mrs.+Nancy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252317123429835410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42rQP1rYTbYEr2Ums57M1LzJojxV2sUahYehUNECN3YwQZZK6Qx-wohRaMkWnuc9V1jA3_mIrIfpipyeLc0o9Ni9nIWJgkgiLg4rct9aiuZE7xdxsGmRrK2v2xxJZprP0xDRMrmyYGzE/s320/President+Reagan+and+Mrs.+Nancy.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">Somewhere, I still have in my memoirs a signed letter from our beloved late president, Ronald Wilson Reagan. I was in the third grade when I received it, a congratulatory note for making the honor roll which encouraged me to keep it up.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">In my child's mind, I truly believed that sitting in his oval office with Nancy one day, President Reagan had really read my grade card and actually knew who I was, a young and spunky child living in Toledo, Ohio. That motivated me for years. And, no, I do not mind at all if you think that's corny. I was a kid, okay? </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">:)</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">Years later, I was a long-term substitute teacher and--in Regis & Kelly fashion--I'd start every day with my mug (of Gatorade) and we'd discuss the newspaper or what they'd seen on the news that morning (a daily extra credit assignment). One day I had them all write letters to our president (George W. Bush) and, together, we walked up the street from the school and each of us mailed our letter. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">There swelled the same pride in the hearts of my students that--many years ago--had grown in my own upon reading Ronald Reagan's letter. They, too, believed that they mattered to the president, that he might actually care that they existed. That means something to a child, you know? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">I had a third grade student--Diamonte was his name--who, on my first day as their long-term substitute, told me that he wanted to someday become the first Black president of the United States. Gifted with intelligence, I didn't doubt that he could. Hopelessly affected by inspiration, I called him "Mr. President" for the entire school year, as did his classmates follow suit. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">Long before we were inspired today to "Ba<em>rock</em> the Vote", I, and thousands of other college students, exerienced a similar "Change" worth believing in :)</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">I was a freshman when Dr. Sidney A . Ribeau became the first Black president at Bowling Green State University, a big college in a small rural town in Ohio. It was an inspiring period of history and a milestone in my collegiate memories. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">Under Dr. Ribeau's leadership, we--as his student body--were stimulated to believe in our own voices. I became a two-term senator in the Undergraduate Student Government, Coordinator of Multi-Cultural Affairs on the cabinet for three terms and for two years in a row served on the Student-Faculty Advisory Committee. A desire to make a difference inspired me to want to dedicate myself in this way but it was Dr. Ribeau's leadership that propelled me--and the many others who served--to believe our actions worthwhile. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">I remember a group of us college kids campaigning, once in the rain even, for President Bill Clinton's re-election and also for the election of local politicians. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">All because of an innate American desire, to have a leader in office who we felt truly cared. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">During my years at BGSU, it was not unusual to see Dr. Ribeau on campus and have him ask, "How are things going?" and, upon answering him, to feel in your heart and see in his eyes that he <em>really cared</em>. He didn't have to know your name and you didn't have to be doing anything special to make him say hello. It was evident in his presence that Dr. Ribeau just wanted each of us to be our personal best. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">I will never forget it, my senior year at BGSU, when Dr. Ribeau invited some of us who'd served as student leaders over to his home for dinner... just as an effort to say to us, "Job well done."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">I will never forget it, the tears welling in my eyes on graduation day and the flood gates that opened for them when Dr. Ribeau--who gave our commencement address--mentioned my name. Something ignited inside of me. I would, I decided then, take with me and hold dearly his encouragement to be our best in society.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">Nor, w<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BNU8Cam9nl59PE2OaBJIYez4pyXdsAi5ZckVOKPOhsMoSaUvcFXRqG9O3Yh64VBds-iqVeeBTZ5K2X9RBxUzNMa150SImS3StnduEcp7YLcW2bzxj1M7G_cdpg2aTvATWZOlXElQBYI/s1600-h/pmarie-140-P_withribeau.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252003527875147618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 172px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 202px" height="161" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BNU8Cam9nl59PE2OaBJIYez4pyXdsAi5ZckVOKPOhsMoSaUvcFXRqG9O3Yh64VBds-iqVeeBTZ5K2X9RBxUzNMa150SImS3StnduEcp7YLcW2bzxj1M7G_cdpg2aTvATWZOlXElQBYI/s320/pmarie-140-P_withribeau.jpg" width="140" border="0" /></a>ill I ever forget it, just four years after graduating, returning to BGSU as an alumni to give the keynote commencement address. I walked in with Dr. Ribeau and sat beside him on stage. And, though a budding novelist, I was still his starry eyed student inspired by a president who led in a way that validated all of our endeavors. I thanked him then and I <em>will </em>always be grateful for having studied under Dr. Ribeau's leadership.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">This is Dr. Ribeau's first year at his new home, Howard University, and I pray that the lovely people in D.C. are good to him. RIbeau's is a leadership in which to truly cherish.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">And ours, The United States, a country in which to remember that our leader can--and should--be the someone that even those not yet old enough to vote truly <em>believe</em> cares. May we all, no matter if you vote Senator John McCain or Senator Barack Obama for president, remember this on November 4th! Here's to presidents who not only represent, but also inspire us to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="FONT-STYLE: italic">be</span> the change we want to see in the world. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#3366ff;">Love!</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(85,26,139); TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-size:24;"><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/">P. Marie</a></span><br /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(85,26,139); TEXT-DECORATION: underline"></span>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148510850610307653.post-34744716570423322922008-09-12T12:41:00.000-07:002008-10-01T16:50:18.827-07:00Guess who's back in BLOG effect!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">Welcome to <span style="color:#ff99ff;">"The Love Spot"</span>, previously known as the "It's All Love Spot". </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">It's been a year (can you believe it) since I've blogged. And a lot has changed. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">For one, I returned (full time) to my beloved NYC, a place that holds the best of the world and also the worst; and is yet beautifully harmonious. What's good in NYC remains humbled by what isn't and what isn't remains inspired by what is. You can feel it in the atmosphere. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">And, as an artist, NYC is an everflowing fountain of inspiration from which to drink. Born thirsty, I can appreciate that. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">That being said, no matter where you live, always find a way to water your own grass. What's truly green, emerald even, is always usually right under your own feet. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">And so, in noticing my absence, some of you have emailed me over the last twelve months just to say "Hello." or even "Um... <em>helloooo?</em>" I appreciate you all. I truly do. It's a blessing to be thought of and I am glad to be back blogging!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">During my period of blog (and Myspace) disconnect, I've missed so many of you. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">I look forward to hearing from my loyal (are you still?) readers. Roddy, Rome, Margarite (aka TV Nista), Sunny, Rocky to name a few... <em>are you still out there????</em> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">There are many others, including my loyal "anonymous" people (who inspired me to disallow comments), but with whom I've missed as well. I hope you're still around, too. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">Or, maybe you're new to my blog? Welcome! To recap: </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">In a world oversaturated with harsh critics and gratuitious haterism, <span style="color:#ffccff;">"The Love Spot"</span> is a place to lounge in fabulousness. The air inside this area of the blogosphere is a little different, you'll see. Not better, per se, but an alternative to gossip and criticism, which rightfully has it's place in the world as well. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="color:#999999;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you have good news, a "must buy" or "must hear" or "must read" or "must see" fashion item, cd, book or movie that you think should be celebrated, hit me up! (And, <em>no, </em>I do not accept payment to promote anything in this blog. N<em>ever have.)</em></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">But together, let's get lifted. Life is too fly and too fabulous to waste time on things we don't enjoy. Let's celebrate what we do. The only rule in this house is love. Sound good? </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999999;">Love you! Miss you. Mean it!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(85,26,139)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="COLOR: rgb(255,153,255);font-size:24;" ><a href="http://www.pmarie.com/">P. Marie</a></span><br /></span>"p.marie" (philana marie boles)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17511959502731729868noreply@blogger.com2