R.I.P Etta James..Queen of Soul...

I had the chance to see Etta James sing two times. The first time was in 1986. I was taken on a first date to a small club in Watts, down in the hood. She was the opening act for Screaming Jay Hawkins. I was the only white girl in the whole club. She sang for her people. I could not believe what I heard nor saw. The experience was religious as much as music can warm the soul. My soul was boiling over so much that I could not even bear to hear Screaming Jay Hawkins sing. My date and I quickly left the club.
The second time I had taken the actress Diane Lane to hear Etta James play at the Roxy on Sunset Boulevard in 1988.  I could not believe what I was hearing...Etta was singing with a different voice...one for the white audience. I realized how fortunate I was to hear her really sing that wonderful and haunting voice of hers in that small club in Watts.

You did good, Etta...Get some rest now.....

Men's Fashion Week Paris 2012

I went to see Adam Kimmel's second fashion show yesterday in Paris. His inspiration was Nevada Air Force space, Area 51. No, there were not aliens walking down the runway but beautiful stiff models wearing the designers latest inspirations. It reminded me of a cross between CELINE and MAD MEN. The cut was a lot slimmer without losing the comfort or virility often associated with his previous collections. Adam Kimmel's  heart belongs to America .

Monster Wife...

One hot day in early September, I was strolling down Rue Grenelle, on my way to buy my husband a birthday gift when I saw a coat in the Prada boutique window. I had seen this coat a zillion times in the Fall preview fashion magazines for 2011. But here it was right in front of my nose. I went inside the boutique and normally, I have to admit, I am not a big Prada fan. I did not know the sales people and the clientele did not reflect my taste. Once I put the apricot faux fur jacket on..I was a bit perplexed....Did it look good on me or did I look like Big Foot, the monster that lives up in the Sierra Nevada? A folklore monster tale a bit like the Lochness monster for anyone that went camping as a kid in California.

The sales woman said that there were only two of these monster jackets in all of France...

I bought it right there. A very unusual piece that creates odd looks from the Parisian women.

Monster or not, I never bought my husband his birthday gift....Bad, bad monster wife....

Two more days!!!!!

Two more days until the Paris movie premier of David Fincher's 'MILLENIUM: Men Who Don't Like Women'. By the way this is the original Swedish title....I am obsessed...I am already  almost done with the second book. I let myself read only 25 pages per night... Going to Sweden to take the tour...Crazy, I know...

Black Diamond

This was supposed to be a bad year for the truffle season in France. Mr Truffle man, a 30 minute drive north of our house, said that he has seen a 80% decline in truffles on his property within the past 30 years.
Nevertheless Mr Truffle man made us a surprise visit last week with two huge truffles found by his dog, Pomme. Pomme is 14 years young, practically deaf and blind but she still has the 'nose'.

Our neighbor recalls her grandmother saying,' there is nothing to eat in the house, go outside and find some truffles'