elle king

i recently came across a link on my friend's facebook that led to the video for No One Can Save You (see below), by Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Elle King. upon perusing her myspace page i found that she plays the banjo (which i dig), opened for Fleet Foxes (whom i adore), and under the heading About Elle King are simply the words 'fat bottom girls you make the rockin world go round' and two stunning photos of young Elvis Presley. so you can see that this is a woman after my own heart. on top of all this, she has a fabulous voice and impeccable style (as can be seen in these photos). go check her out if you haven't already :) ...and can you believe this chick isn't signed to a record label yet?

a glamorous giveaway

wanna win this gorgeous vintage inspired lingerie set? i know i do. click on the link below to enter.

Diary of a Vintage Girl: A glamorous giveaway

stock photos

the world lost a brilliant photographer on Tuesday, when Dennis Stock passed away at age 81. Stock was perhaps most famous for his photographs of James Dean, of the Woodstock generation and of the New York jazz scene. here are some highlights of his incredible body of work.

R.I.P. Dennis Stock (July 24, 1928 - January 11, 2010)

R.I.P Teddy Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010)

sparkling lights over paris

last September, French conceptual artist Michel de Broin produced the world's largest disco ball (7.5 metres, with 1000 wee mirrors) and suspended it on a crane 50 metres above the night sky of Paris in the Jardin du Luxembourg. the ball, which de Broin called La Maîtresse de la Tour Eiffel, was then lit with spotlights from all across the city, sending beams of light dancing over Paris. click here to see a magical video of the ball in action.

'texture' sounds kinda weird if you say it over and over. nevertheless: texture, texture, texture!

stacyleigh bag

neringaci dress

emilyryan dress

EightSeasons purse

Vera Moda knit dress

monster skin chair

glennray tutor: photorealist extraordinaire

as some of you may already know, i am a massive fan of photorealistic paintings, and am in complete and utter awe of those who possess the talent to create them. Glennray Tutor blends an incredible aptitude for realism with a vibrant colour palette and fun retro subjects, making his paintings absolutely delicious! see more here.

happy 75th birthday Elvis!

this may sound melodramatic, and i forgive you if you think me slightly loopy, but Elvis has given me many gifts; many moments that i treasure deeply.  from hours spent by the record player at the age of five, listening to Elvis Sings For Children (my first LP), tears streaming down my wee face whenever Old Shep came on, to walking down the isle in Graceland's Chapel to meet my husband at the alter, i share these moments and countless others in between, with the King. 

 there are many lessons to be learned from this martyred saint of the American dream. some by example, and others in caution.  i have loved him for his humanity, his beauty and his unique genius (that's right, i said genius), and i am still struck dumb by his divine voice.  a voice that radiates life, 33 years beyond his death. for this voice, these moments, and this life, i am forever grateful.  thank you Elvis. happy birthday wherever you are.

hall of dames #15 - jennifer jones

Turner Classic Movies is having a Jennifer Jones marathon tonight, likely brought on by her recent passing.  if you haven't had a chance to see the lovely miss Jones in action, then tonight is your night.  they'll be playing Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953), The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1957),  Beat the Devil (1953) and Madame Bovary (1949).

Jennifer Jones was born Phylis Lee Isley on March 1919 in Tulsa Oklahoma.  in 1939, she married a fellow student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York city, and the couple moved to Hollywood to make it big.  after two film roles as Phyllis Isley (now with two L's),  Jones failed a Paramount screen test and returned to New York.  

it was producer David Selznick who would sign Phylis to a seven year contract after seeing her read for a part in his play.  he encouraged her to change her name to Jennifer and groomed her for stardom.  

in 1944, on her 25th birthday, Jennifer won a best actress Oscar for her performance as St. Bernadette. that year, Jones' friend,Ingrid Bergman, was nominated for her work in For Whom the Bell Tolls. Jones apologized to Bergman, who replied, "No, Jennifer, your Bernadette was better than my Maria." Jones presented the best actress Oscar the following year to Bergman for Gaslight.

over the next two decades, Jones appeared in numerous and various roles selected by Selznick.  the two had an affair which led to the disintegration of her first marriage, and she and Selnick were married in 1949.  after his death in 1965, Jennifer semi-retired from the screen.  it is reported that she attempted suicide in November 1967 by jumping off a cliff; she was hospitalized in a coma before eventually recovering.  Jones' daughter, Mary committed suicide by jumping from a 20th-floor window on May 11, 1976. This led to Jones's interest in mental health issues. in 1971, Jones married multi-millionaire Norton Simon, whose son Robert had committed suicide in 1969. Norton died in 1993.

after beating breast cancer, Jones enjoyed a quiet retirement in Southern California. she died of natural causes at her home on December 17, 2009, aged 90.

the cove

it is imperative that you watch this film.  rent it, buy it, steal it if you have to, but watch it nonetheless.  if you come out of this viewing unaffected, i fear there may be something horribly wrong with you.  seriously.   

all the king's women # 16 - lola albright

born in Akron, Ohio in 1924, Lola Albright began her career as a model before moving to Hollywood in the mid 1940s. Lola's beauty and distinctive smokey voice helped establish her as one of the most stylish and sultry actresses in Hollywood at the time.  

though Lola would make more than 20 films during her career, her most pivotal role came in 1949, opposite Kirk Douglas in Champion. 

  

in 1958, Lola landed the part of nightclub singer Edie Hart in the trend-setting television detective series Peter Gunn, produced by Blake Edwards and directed by Robert Altman.  during her time on the production, Albright released two albums as a singer (Lola Wants You, and Dreamsville).

Lola's popularity led to several major film roles, including Elvis' 1962 film Kid Galahad, a remake of the 1937 Humphrey Bogart film of the same name.  Lola plays Dolly, unappreciated girlfriend to a small-time boxing promoter who recruits young mechanic Walter (Elvis). 

Joan Blackman (above left) plays Elvis' love interest in this, her second, Elvis film (see All the King's Women #13 ). 

Lola was married three times, and has no children.  she is now retired from acting and living in California.