Monday Mood Enhancer

Mondays huh? the bane of every one's existence, especially after a fun filled weekend going in to college/work /school is always painful. Today is a particularly bad one though because its a grey, cold, boring,mid October day when Friday feels like its never going to come and I have an essay to do!! So I thought a little mood enhancer was in order.

This is the fabulous French chanteur Charles Aznavour singing 'For me, Formidable' which never fails to make me smile the little jaunty melody and the mix of French and English lyrics as well as Aznavour's silky voice are, i think, the key to its appeal. I first came across it in the otherwise mediocre film Seven pounds and since then its become a fixture on my ipod's top played list! So do yourself a solid on this bummer of a day and take two min's to listen to this little slice of happy!!

Stilett-No!!

Much like Kathleen Turner's character in 'Serial Mom', I have a pathological hatred for white shoes, usually a mild mannered calm person, I'm almost driven to random acts of violence at the sight of these. In particular white patent stilettos, the foot wear of choice for Essex girls of days gone by and traveller weddings. Now in the movie Kathleen only has a problem with white shoes after labour day, in my opinion there are only three times in a girls life that it is acceptable to wear white shoes. They are her christening, her communion and her wedding and NEVER the variety pictured above.

As far as I knew these horrific items had faded into obscurity along with the Essex girls with whom they were so popular until I went out in Galway last night and saw no less than four young ones sporting the look.

It is not OK people!!!! It wasn't OK in the 90's and It is certainly not OK now!!!

even these uber-models look tacky in them!

Here's the incomparable Kathleen clobbering someone simply for wearing white shoes after labour day!

Fascinating People-part 1 Audrey Hepburn

My love for Audrey Hepburn knows no bounds. I have always admired her but in my teens the admiration turned to idolatry and since then my devotion has been unwavering. So I felt it fitting that my first fascinating people post was dedicated to her, my friends and family will find this predictable as for years they have listened to me go on and on about the wonder that is Audrey.

Audrey, for me, is the epitome of style, grace, elegance and strength of character. She was born in 1929 in Belgium to a dutch mother of aristocratic background and a father of European origin who was a bit of a shady character. He left when Audrey was little, she never really got over it. She spent the war year in Arnhem in the Netherlands which was the most heavily Nazi occupied city in the world. It was an horrendous time for her , she very nearly starved to death.  This and her intense generosity of spirit spurred her work with UNICEF later in life.

She went to Hollywood in the early 50's a time that was dominated by voluptuous beauties like Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. Audrey was the definition of Gamine but in her first role as Princess Ann in Roman holiday along side Gregory Peck she won the hearts of the movie going public and an Oscar!!

She was a devoted mother to her two son's Sean and Luca. Children were the greatest joy of her life and she did so much for the plight of the worlds poorest children

Audrey with her son Sean in 1961

I've seen almost all her movies even green mansions which was directed by her first husband Mel Ferrer and is possibly the worst movie ever made (though she is lovely in it)

My favourite though is Sabrina, in which her life long collaboration with Givenchy began. The movie is about a chauffeur's daughter who is in love with the youngest son of the family her father works for. Her father sends her off to Paris to get over it but she comes back still smitten and achingly gorgeous in her custom made Givenchy wardrobe. Long story short the younger brother is a bit of a playboy and the older brother (played fabulously by Humphrey Bogart) is a grumpy git who is eventually softened by Sabrina's charms and falls in love with her and the head off to Paris together. Its a beautiful movie, from the clothes, to the east Hampton's scenery to the utterly flawless William Holden who plays the younger brother. He and Audrey fell in love while making this movie, he asked her to marry him but she declined because he didn't want children. sad huh!! 

Audrey in Sabrina dressed by Givency

So all in all my point here is Audrey Hepburn was someone to be emulated. Her beauty and grace aside, she was a survivor (the war, two divorces, countless miscarriages, her father's departure) she was determined, she was kind and she was truly a class act

Audrey on her favourite role as UNICEF ambassador

with Peter O'Toole in How to Steal a Million. I need that eye mask!

Some great books have been written about this great lady, 'the Audrey Hepburn Treasures' by Ellen Erwin and Jessica Z. Diamond and 'What Would Audrey Do' by Pamela Keogh are two of my favourites. Find out more about her here http://www.audreyhepburn.com/

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!

Well Hello and welcome to Auburn Nostalgia. The name comes from my hair colour (original I know) and my love of all things past. My constant feeling is that I was born in the wrong era. I'm not really sure in what era I should have been born but I'm almost certain this isn't it.

The idea to start a blog came about when my computer's lecturer was shocked that only one person on a English degree had a blog. So I decided that instead of clogging up facebook or boring my friends and family with the never ending stream of recommendations to things I think are note worthy, I'd put all my little ideas and feelings and all that jazz up here instead.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, recommendations or anything else you like really. I'm doing this for a laugh and a bit of boredom relief but I do hope that it'll be interesting to someone other than my mother.