From Up on Poppy Hill

            

      

Today we saw "From Up On Poppy Hill", written by Hayao Miyazaki an directed by his son Goro Miyazaki. The manga is by Chizuru Takahashi and Tetsuro Sayama. It is a beautiful animation film with a nostalgic look at Japan in 1963 from the memory of a schoolgirl. It is lovely, emotional, and it is a visual art treat. I highly recommend this film.

William Christenberry

                           

           

I love the work of William Christenberry. I put my fireworks photo near his photograph and I think his photo blows mine out of the park.  His work is a totality of drawing, painting, photography, and sculpture all coming together to make a statement about what he cares about. His photos tell stories about the people of the South and what they care about. I tear up when I see his photography. One of my favorite photographs is the one of the white house built by a man with one arm, near Greensboro, Alabama, 1980. What struck William about the house, was the simple shape, and the fact that the house was only painted up to a certain height. When he stopped to ask permission to photograph it, The owner of the house, said " we painted only as high as we could reach".

The Art of the Box

You can buy a cat a toy and he will jump into a box. He loves my Mulberry purse boxes. He squeezes his 14 pounds into the dark box and out pops his white nose. Yes Louie I can see you. This photo was taken with my Samsung flip phone. The camera component is awesome.

chinatown park sf

Pigeons are beautiful. If you look at their feathers in the right light they reflect many colors. I shot these with Portra 400 S film, soft overcast daylight and used my 1984 Hassey.

Le Parfum De Therese

Edmond Roudnitska is the creator of the Frederic Malle parfum Le Parfum De Therese. The first spray took me back to these little violet candies my father would buy for me in Hazleton, Pa. As the parfum begins to dry down, you get an intense flowery, Violet scent.


                                   Edmond made this for his wife Teresa in 1957. After many years Teresa decided to give this to Frederic Malle so the world can share this beautiful fragrance. It has tangerine, melon, cedar rose, plum, leather and vetiver. At the end of the day, you will be happy that Teresa decided to share this lovely parfum with you.

Who is Toby Schultz?

Toby Schultz is the mural artist that designed the fabulous art for the Arroyo Grande Bakery. His murals are beautiful. His art wraps around the bakery walls. I feel like a child in my favorite store looking at the details in his art. His art takes me to a different place.

Arroyo Grande Bakery

        

Meet Chris Lossing. Chris and Marc Lossing are owners of the Arroyo Grande Bakery. The first time I strolled into the bakery to pick up a friend's birthday cake, Marc was on the floor fixing a cake storage unit and Chris was finishing the touches on my cake. I felt like I could live in a town where the owners of a local business will take care of you. I love the thumbprints and ready to go cookie platters. Buy your baked goods at this wonderful neighborhood store. You will not be disappointed.

En Passant

                              

En Passant is incredible. It is a Frederic Malle perfume created by Olivia Giacobetti. My first "walk through" was like being on an elevator next to someone who I dare not look at because they smell so good. I smelled vanilla and violet and a floral that actually I can live with. Later in the day I sensed a clean intelligent smell. Quite pleasant to the sniffer. The official notes are cucumber, wheat, orange, and white lilac. It is the scent of lilac swept up by the wind. Olivia is a French Perfumer who has worked with Diptyque, Guerlain and L'artistan. She created Dzing a favorite of my sister Deb.