The return of style

This is the picture that warmed me to William and Kate. In our modern age, the monarchy seems antiquated. Royals in the last 10 years have kept a rather low profile and with the marriage of William and Kate and Albert and Charlene there has been a great amount of press.

The picture showed William and Kate as regular people. Not the protocol based behavior that is so familiar.

What I am most hopeful for now is that with all this attention on Kate that there will be a return to style. The outfits worn by the Duchess are classy and modern. She is covered but not matronly.

Yesterday, I found a fun website. http://www.duchessofcambridgestyle.com/
Great fun website to take a look if your looking for a classy fashion idea.

Jury of your peers

Yesterday, outrage over the verdict.Blame, anger, tears, disgust everywhere you went on the internet or TV.

People are upset that a child is dead without anyone being held accountable.

A jury of her peers. That is amusing, peers, from Merriam-Webster.com (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peer) "one that is of equal standing with another : equal; especially : one belonging to the same societal group especially based on age, grade, or status" .

Not sure we don't need to change that word, peer. But think about this, people that push, shove and trample other people to get into the store on black Friday to get the best deals, these are my peers? Those that stood in line for a ticket to get into this trial, those that fought each other for their place in line to get the tickets, these are my peers? Those that watch a helpless girl get beaten by a group of people without calling the police, these are my peers? The people standing in front of the families house, watching as if this family were zoo creatures, these are my peers?The lawyers that were in the bar across the street jumping up and down over a victory that leaves a childs death unanswered, these are my peers?

People are now saying she'll make millions from book and movie deals, interviews and licensing of the images. You know what - she can only make those millions if we buy and if we watch. So dont! Let her pass into history without another word.

Sadly, those people probably are correct. People are obsessed and they will buy and these are my peers?

To be a member of a civilized society we must each be civilized.

Wimbledon - Tradition vs "fuddy duddy"

Watching the news this week you might have heard a story or two of Wimbledon.

Tradition is very important in English society, Wimbledon included. In the linked article there are two interesting paragraphs toward the end, indicating tradition is important but technology has been embraced.

Tradition and technology do not have to be mutually exclusive. They can compliment each other. We don't have to throw away tradition to be modern, incorporating the best from the past with the best of now. Tennis whites with ball following technology is a great example.

As for the press on the ladies tennis outfits. I don't have a problem with the outfits for personal experession, but at what cost to tradition? Then the question of, Why? What are you trying to prove? I think it's a good conversation of our modern society, the good of the one being more important then the many. This also applies to this crazy grunting trend. Trying to get into the mind of our opponent? Guess what, gig is up we all know the trick!

Let's not throw out tradition with out great consideration, once it's gone it is gone and is there something better replacing it?



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/8589772/Wimbledon-2011-grunting-tennis-players-are-spoiling-the-game.html

Change can be good

There are a lot of elegant women out there and I think it would be good to hear from them.

The comments settings of this blog have been enabled. This blog will be so much full with the input of elegant women.

Let's start talking.

Women in business

Why did I post this picture? This is one of my most favorite pictures. I took it at the Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle. Look carefully, do you see the flowers on the drafting table? Yup, that is a female drafter in 1927!

What sparked this post? Morning Joe. Arianna Huffington was on and they were talking about Mika's new book. The best comment comes from Donny Deutsch. I have the link below. Start at 3:43 and listen to Donny.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/#43265193

Mr. Deutsch makes the comment that *gasp* men and women are different and when in the work place why not embrace the differences? Now, no one is saying to flirt or dress sexy but men and women are different.

There have been books upon books about women in business, feminism, women liberation etc.. There is no way I can cover this in one blog posting.

Women's liberation is not true liberation if we need to 'act' like men while in the office.

Here is another shocker, we are not all equal. Women's equality is a misnomer. All we should really want is equality in opportunity because as Mr. Deutsch said we are not equal. Women are not equal with each other nor are we equal to men. We are all individuals and we all have skills beyond the person beside us but that person beside us has skills we wont have or develop.

Being in a male dominated business, I found most of the issue came from women. For some unknown reason women are harder on other women then most men. Could it be other women make most women feel insecure, they are prettier, smarter, or got the promotion we thought was ours? Like I said earlier I cant conquer this topic in one blog post.

Just remember, being a women in the business world isn't a handicap!

How do you eat pizza?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2011/05/31/2011-05-31_sarah_palin_donald_trump_split_a_pepperoni_pizza_at_famous_famiglia_in_times_squ.html

Looking at this picture nothing looks really out of place. Two famous people eating pizza in NYC. Look closer - a scandal has erupted! A grave sin was committed.

Mr.Donald Trump, a NYC'er to the core, or so we thought, is eating his pizza, WITH A FORK! How will he ever live this scandal down? This was so horrible that Mr. Trump actually issued a statement.

I think this is just so funny. And in these gray times, when the only news we hear are politicians denigrating themselves and each others, mother's being charged with the death of the dear baby and the recession. By now, the only double dip I want to hear about is at the ice cream shop. So, this "story" just brought a smile.

In reality, I eat my pizza with a fork and knife and *gasp* I was born in NY - just the other side. Here is another *gasp*, they eat pizza in Italy with silverware (plastic ware).

When I saw the picture I figured, "Heck, why take a chance of getting pizza on your custom suit or who needs pizza cheese slapping them on the chin". In reality, Donald Trump couldn't get it right if he tried. If he ate the pizza like a NY'er you'd be all "Yuck, did he wash his hands?" or "That is just not classy". Oh well.

John Stewart was so funny. I thought his staff was going to need to call for medical attention by the time he was done with his tirade. I was laughing so hard watching Mr. Stewart I thought I might need medical attention - here is a link from the LA Times. Enjoy.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/06/about-late-last-night-jon-stewart-slams-donald-trump-for-eating-pizza-with-a-fork-video.html

End of an Era

Yesterday Yahoo had a news story about the closing of the Sahara casino.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110515/lf_afp/useconomytourismgambling#mwpphu-container

The end of an era. We do look back on our history fondly, in some cases ideally. In this time we live looking on a thing in an idealistic manner might not be a bad thing. Why can't we keep the good from the past and add it in with the good of our time. There were bad things in old Vegas, in our history. But there is also good in both. Sadly, a lot of the bad things in our current culture are brought up us by us ie greed and self-absorption.

I think Las Vegas is an anthropologists dream. Think about the last 70 years and how Las Vegas has changed. It is a microcosm of our culture.

At one point it was cool to be in Las Vegas and the vices, now that cool is dangerous. Can you imagine someone telling anyone in the Rat Pack "Sorry sir, but you can't smoke here". Now no one can be cool anymore because that means someone has to be uncool. Everyone needs to be on the same playing field. I am wondering when the Oscars and Tony's or any award shows that are out there will be 'banned' because,"Really isn't there good in all movies? Why single out one as the best, that isn't fair?"

Las Vegas was a destination for a certain type of people looking for a certain type of experience. Due to greed and the death of unique it is now all things to all people, kind of. Is there a small, customer oriented casino that is clean, glamorous, stylish, cool? I only see mega casinos, or casino that have beyond their prime. Yes, the Sahara by all accounts was past its prime, but do we have to do away with all the history of Las Vegas? According to the news, most women are getting work done - can't we work on our buildings?

Reading the messages posted by readers we are really missing something in our modern culture. We are missing class, style, panache! We have been Walmartized. We are free to choice and we choice plain and average and accept the same in our lives and services.

Whatever happened getting dressed for dinner? Caring what you looking like to other people? How about a casino that is based on profits of happy customers and not just getting the most people it can get thru the doors? That statement is so against true capitalism, but I was hoping that in the last few years we might have learned something about greed and capitalism unbounded by intelligence, morals and integrity.

Grab a cocktail,take a seat,savor the time and remember the good.

Kentucky Derby

Did you do something fun for the Derby? I did. I have pic's on Facebook.

Which hat did I wear? - I wore 3! Why not have a hat change. I did wear my favorite hat that was the picture in the previous post.

Most fabulous website

http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/

This is a great website I found last week. Never think that there is an age limit to being amazing!

Kentucky Derby

Saturday is the Kentucky Derby.

For those that aren't southerners or never lived in the south especially in Kentucky it might be "Big Deal". Now, I went to school in Kentucky. I moved there when I was 19 and stayed for 6 years (no, it didn't take me 6 years to get thru school, in fact read the previous post, I'm still in school). I've never made it to Churchill Downs but I have been to Keeneland and I love the turf race. There is nothing like the noise and the feeling of being at a race track. I was up on "millionaire's row" and down in the center of everything. There is something in the air, an excitement. But when those horses go, the best 2 minutes in sports and they are not kidding.

The Derby is America's answer to the pomp and circumstance that we saw at the royal wedding. This is the royalty of horse racing.

Living in Seattle means I have to throw my own party or go to Emerald Downs. I am opting for throwing my own party. White linens for the table, pink and red roses, my version of Derby Pie (yes, it is trade marked) and of course hats! (thank goodness I have no idea how to make burgoo). Mint Julep's, we can't forget them, are an art form that I am must to intimidated, being a northern by birth, even though the former distiller of Makers Mark told me the recipe.

If you go to my Facebook page I have a hats album and it's open for everyone.