50 years ago today...

He's all right! Aren't you, cat? Poor cat! Poor slob! Poor slob without a name! The way I see it I haven't got the right to give him one. We don't belong to each other. We just took up one day by the river. I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I'm not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It's like Tiffany's. 

The little black dress became an icon. (Hepburn was Givenchy's muse.)

The lyrics to "Moon River" made its debut. (And later won an Oscar.)

A jewelry store became synonymous with Audrey Hepburn. (And entered all our homes.)

A kiss in the rain never felt so romantic. (Or a soaking trench coat so cozy.)

50 years ago today, my favorite movie was released.

I remember watching this as a young girl and thinking "wow". As I watched this movie with my grandmother, I was enamoured by Audrey. Her free-spirited character, the style, the lifestyle, everything. It kicked off what would become my obsession with Audrey Hepburn.

If you're interested in Breakfast at Tiffany's I'd certainly recommend Sam Wasson's 5th Avenue, 5am it covers all of Truman Capote (Tiffany's is based on a novella of his), making the movie, Audrey and how she became Holly Golightly (beating out Marilyn Monroe among others), and the set. It's a great, easy read. Although don't blame me when you get Moon River stuck in your head throughout the duration of reading the book. Also, there's also a 50th anniversary DVD release featuring improved video/audio quality and bonus features. (I happen to like my version, where there's a photo gallery of Audrey as a special feature.)


You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-you-are? You're chicken, you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, "Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness." You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself. 

In which I get bookish.

Okay, so I've already admitted my book nerd-ery to you before, but this is one of those instances where, I don't care if you love books and dream of a library where your books sit on shelves that smell of rich mahogany, (any get that reference? If so, 2 bonus points. For what? I'm not sure.) or if your books sit in a little electronic fake book. (Don't get me started on those e-readers, although I'm sure you can guess my stance.) I have to share this treasure of a book with you. This book was one of those books that just completely pulled me in, and is currently in the running for the best book I've read in all of 2011. It's that good. 

Let me introduce you to Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon:

This book is so beautifully written, it made me wish I knew Spanish so I could read it in the original language to fully admire the writing. A bit reminiscent of Fahrenheit 451 without the Sci-Fi, a bit of Moulin Rouge, a little bit of mystery. Nothing I can say about this book can do it justice, so just trust me when I say: READ THIS BOOK! As I was going through the book, it had my mind working and wondering and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, it didn't happen. I would love to see Baz Luhrmann do this as a movie. I could also see Tim Burton taking on a movie adaptation, but Baz would be my pick. So what are you waiting for? Go read this book!

Expect more book reviews. I've got a lot of time to read now that I'm taking the train to/from work.

Oh, to be a Princess...

(source)

I really tried. I really really really tried, not to get sucked into the Royal Wedding hoopla. Honestly! Sure, I've admitted that I'm kindof sortof obsessed with Kate's style, but I was trying to avoid it. But still, despite my best efforts, I found myself disappointed this morning when I woke up and found that I missed the arrival and the vows portion of the wedding. I'm going to have to tell you all that it's not so much that it's a royal wedding that had me...it was the fact that it was a wedding. I'm obsessed with them. I will watch any show about weddings, movies where it's clearly a wedding movie, anything wedding, I'm in. I do a lot of custom jewelry orders, and my favorites are always for brides and their bridesmaids. I like talking wedding. Ever since I was 5 years old flower girl in my aunt's wedding, I was obsessed.

Although, watching the wedding this morning, I couldn't help but wonder what Jerramy Fine had to think of it all. It was pretty much her dream that happened. (The book is worth the read, I don't love chick-lit, but I could relate to some of her adventures and thoughts...maybe I shouldn't admit that, but really I am/have always known I'm a Princess, in the best way possible).

Book Nerd Alert.

It may come as no surprise, but I love books. I'm a major book nerd. I love just wandering book stores, looking at the books. The way the covers feel in my hand, the way the pages fan as I flip through it. It's the one kind of store where I can leave empty handed and still feel fulfilled.

My books take on personalities, they change from inanimate to animate objects in my world. I treat them with care and caution as I read each, and if I lend out a book, the borrower will get a speech about how it needs to come back in the same condition. No dogeared pages, pristine cover, and for the love of all things good, DO NOT BREAK THE SPINE! I was married for almost two and a half years before husband and I integrated our bookcases, and even then, it was nerve wracking. Sure I guess it's a sign we've "made it" if I'm willing to let my books hang out with his. He is a little bit more tough on books...he'll remove a dustcover and leave it somewhere (typically the desk) and let things accumulate on top of them. Not this girl.

One genre I do particularly enjoy is Fashion non-fiction. None of that Shopaholic for me. I've enjoyed books from Simon Doonan, Biographies on Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Evelyn Nesbet, etc. I have two books on Isabella Blow on my list to buy next, I love her. So, while I was reading my past issue of Vogue, I was beyond geeked out when I found out that Camilla Morton (of "How to Walk in High Heels" fame) was coming out with a "Fashion Fairy Tale Memoir" series, blending a classic fairy tale with a fashion icons story. Starting with "Sleeping Beauty" as illustrated by none other than Christian Lacroix.

(source and also Camilla's site)

I found this book at a recent trip to my local bookstore, and I got the chance to flip through the book. The illustrations are breathtaking, whimsy and fierce. (That's a Christian Siriano fierce for the record. Not a fire breathing dragon fierce.). The cover, has a sheer dustcover over the book that gives the cover a three dimensional feel and look. It took everything in me to not walk out with this book in my hand. This book will be coming to me when I buy my Isabella Blow books. I can't wait to own this book. I have already been fantasizing about handing all the books in this series (4 tales total according to Vogue) to my future daughter.

Next up in the series? "The Elves and the Shoemaker" with none other than Manolo Blahnik. I die! Which is slated for Fall 2011.