Music & makeovers! I swoon for chippy paint, a gorgeous patina and a fabulous song!!! I love great music (read: Bruce Springsteen & Otis Redding), white lilacs, walking in freshly fallen snow, the Golden Girls, road trips and the fall!!!
Happy December, dear Vixens!!! T’is the season for Christmas songs so while you deck the halls and enjoy your Advent treats, why not add a few new tunes to your play list???
I have been overdosing on the genius of this woman for weeks now, and I do not see an end in sight anytime soon. I have been a fan of hers for years, but after not listening to her music for a while because all of my CD’s are still not unpacked, I heard one of her songs on the radio (yes, I still listen!!!) and became addicted all over again.
I must admit she was an acquired taste for me yet, despite hearing her songs by other artists for years, I still did not get it. But I guess I am in good company because Tom Hanks’ character in “You’ve Got Mail” was unsure of her as well (” ‘It’s clouds illusions I recall, I really don’t know clouds at all’ What does that mean? Is she a pilot? Is she taking flying lessons? It must be a metaphor for something, but I don’t know what it is.”)
Courtesy of Warner Brothers Studio
Total aside – I love that scene…..
And that movie…..
Sa-woon.
But I digress.
I am ashamed to admit that it took me so long to appreciate this woman’s gifts for story telling, poetry, imagery, songwriting and singing. Now I can listen to her for days on end and still not get enough. And for a music connoisseur like me, you know it has to be good if I am letting my ears have that much time with her.
So here is my first music selection…..
For the ENTIRE Christmas season of 2016…..
And I hope it makes your heart swoon like it does mine 🙂
Hello, Vixens!!! Happy Monday!!! Did you enjoy your weekend?
Do you know how empty the stores are the weekend before Black Friday, not including the grocery stores? I spent the weekend running errands and picking up supplies for my apartment and I was amazed at how quickly I was in and out of the stores. I guess everyone is waiting for the Black Friday sales.
When I was at one of the home improvement stores on Saturday, I was overwhelmed by the variety of Christmas items they had not just for the outside of the home as expected, but for inside as well. For example, how adorable is this nativity scene???
Or these Nemo-themed ornaments?
I buy myself one new ornament a year and yes, it is usually a Peanuts themed one. Below is this year’s winner:
This was adorable, too, but I do not need it & my wallet does not need the almost $100 price tag. But it is cute nonetheless:
I also loved these resin statues:
And Elvis was in the house, too!!! (Well, in the home improvement store actually……)
I am not a fur/leopard print person, but I did find it surprising on hats!!!
And I am not a “Star Wars” person, but how adorable are these Yoda lights?!?!
Or this giant Yoda and his friends??? Buddy the Elf is my favorite!!!
Then when I was at the grocery store, I saw this adorable display:
I spotted these too cute for words giant Woodstock & Charlie Brown greeters at CVS:
Are you guys into the Black Friday sales? I must admit after shopping flea markets, antiques stores, the outlets and online shopping, I have really lost my taste for the malls. I will only do it in an emergency or if a friend asks me to help her choose a dress for a special occasion. During my last few years in NY I wanted to go to the outlets at midnight on Black Friday, but somehow talked myself out of it when they released an estimate of expecting over five thousand shoppers. Crazy, right? And the only way I could get to the 5 am or 6 am sales was if I stayed up all night, and that was rather impossible after a meal of tryptophan packed turkey. And later in the day I cringed when I drove by the stores and saw how packed they were. Ugh.
I am, however, all about the day after Christmas sales. Like most frugal minded people, I pick up next year’s cards, tree lights and other items needed for the following holiday season. I do try to keep it simple and green because there is so much waste this time of year it makes me feel guilty about my carbon footprint. And since my feet are a size 11, I have more than most to make up for 🙂
Also, if you are looking for a great read this holiday season or a fabulous gift for the music lover on your list, then you MUST pick up a copy of the greatest book ever written…………
At least this year……………………………………………………………………
Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography “Born To Run”. (BONUS: The audio book comes out December 6 and it is narrated by The Boss himself!!! Yes, please!!!)
Despite pre-ordering my copy online, it took much longer to receive than I anticipated. Thank goodness for my local library!!! This is a GREAT read, and I do not just say that as his most dedicated fan (Kathy Bates has forever prohibited anyone from using the phrase “biggest fan” LOL!!!) I say it because it is true. Springsteen’s talent for writing is not just limited to his songs. His words are brutally honest, reflective, happy, sad, true and unbelievably powerful. They are also healing as he discusses his bout with depression. It has generally been considered a woman’s disease by society so, therefore, not given the proper attention it deserves. But when someone like The Boss comes forward and admits he has suffered from it, people listen. And that is what mental illness needs: a voice.
As someone who has suffered with depression most of my life, Springsteen’s admission of the disease validated every symptom I have ever had, from not being able to get myself out of bed for days at a time or not being able to function in general day to day activities. I love Bruce Springsteen for a multitude of things, but for this most of all. His being so forthright with this information takes away the stigma that still sadly exists about this disease and mental illness in general. Mere words will never be adequate enough to thank this man for what he has done for the world of music, let alone me. But it is all I have to give so, thank you Bruce, for everything.
Until next time, fellow Vixens, happy digging!!!
***(Nothing in this post is sponsored. I am just sharing some of my favorite things with you.)
I know it is almost Easter, but I have been thinking a lot about a Christmas movie lately: “It’s A Wonderful Life“***. The one scene in particular I replay over and over in my head is the one where George and Mary are walking home from the dance and they throw rocks in the window of the old house that Mary wishes will become her home to share with George one day in the future.
On my recent travels, I drove passed a house that I dream of owning. It’s old, not in the best of shape, and I am not even sure if it has been occupied recently as there are never any people or cars around it. The house sits on about an acre of land with a beautiful lake behind it.
This is the front street view of the house. Please forgive the quality of the pictures as I was using my iPhone. My SLR camera is not working at all.
And this is the side view.
I am in love with this house. I love the wrap around porch, the charm it exudes and all the beautiful trees on the property. I have yet to see the inside, but I imagine there are fireplaces in every room, more than one bathroom featuring a claw foot tub and a kitchen right out of the 1940’s or 1950’s. Sa-woon.
Of course, none of that may be true, but since the outside still retains its charm, I am hopeful that the inside loveliness has been preserved as well. I will be crushed it it turns out the kitchen contains 1970’s Formica or that the living room has bright orange shag carpeting, but for now I will hold onto my dreams.
When I picture my life in the future, I see myself living in a home like this, one that my future husband & I have lovingly restored and now live in with our two pugs, Starsky & Hutch. We plant a vegetable garden, some lilac and hydrangeas bushes and perhaps get a few chickens so we can have fresh eggs every day. We host lavish clam bakes in the summer & cozy Christmas Eve dinners every December with our guests helping us trim our 10 foot tree while we drink eggnog and watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas“*** over and over until it is time to eat. I have had this dream forever.
This is the view as I drove down the drive way towards the side entrance.
But now that dream is not so easy to have. Ever since I sold my small house (which was only 811 square feet) and downsized to a studio half that size, I have come to really appreciate living smaller rather than larger. I know I am not alone, as the tiny house movement has become a real cause and purpose for many people looking to live a more minimalistic life. I made the choice to live smaller simply because I realized I was basically living in only one room of my house-the bedroom-so I did not see the sense in spending money on a multiple room apartment or paying to furnish those rooms when I was very content having everything I needed in one room.
I want a simple life. Someone to love, a couple of dogs to rescue, several road trips throughout the year and a freedom from not having any house maintenance work to worry about. But then I picture life in that big old house, and as idyllic as it seems, I get bogged down in the guilt of the amount of energy a house that size uses, or the carbon footprint it has on the environment, or the fact that two people and two dogs really do not need a house that big. And I love road trips and spending the weekends going to estate sales, antiques stores and flea markets. Houses of any size require regular maintenance, and an old big house requires that much more. We may need a place to live, but it does not have to be such a big place. Sometimes I hate having a conscience!!!
The views from the back of the property. How great would it be to look out on a lake every day???
Do any of you get bogged down in that kind of thinking? Or do you just push forward to make your dreams come true? I would really love to know.
***The starred links are my affiliate links. I only share what I truly love & I am grateful for the support 🙂
I hope all of you who celebrate the holiday have a very happy Easter!!!
Hello, Vixens!!! How are all of you lovelies doing today? How can it be that we have arrived at the final weekend before Christmas??? A week from today, it will be behind us and we will be at those fabulous after Christmas clearance sales!!! But before I get too ahead of myself, let me share another fantastic holiday tune with all of you.
Source: noelladesigns.com
I told you in yesterday’s post how much I enjoy the big band sounds from the 1950’s. Well I should have been clear: I like big band music period. The booming percussion, exploding brass sounds and piano combine with the rest of the instruments to make magic with every note. And a fabulous singer only adds to the perfection.
Anthony Dominick Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett, has sung with big bands since before he became a household name. One of the bands he worked with on several occasions was Count Basie’s. Even after Basie passed away in 1984, his band played on and collaborated with Bennett for the 2008 album, “A Swingin’ Christmas”. Eleven Christmas classics are covered on this fantastic recording including my personal favorite, “Silver Bells“. Coming in a very close second is “Christmas Time Is Here“, which just might be my favorite recording of this song, second only to the Peanuts version (read about that here). Bennett recorded a few holiday albums, but “A Swingin’ Christmas” is definitely my favorite.
Please remember I do not own the rights to anything, I am just sharing my favorite music with you.
Hello, Vixens!!! How are all of you doing? Can you believe we are less than two weeks away from the big day? It certainly is going by fast. So before we blink and have it pass us all by, let’s take a moment to celebrate some more amazing sounds of the season.
It is no secret that I am a H-U-G-E fan of Bruce Springsteen. He just announced several tour dates for next year which will come to my area just in time for my birthday. So, it is fair to say Christmas came early for me!!! But this season is never complete for me until I hear his versions of two Christmas classics.
Source: Backstreets.com
The first is a throw back to the innocence of childhood and its cautionary message “to be good for goodness sake”. The original version comes from one of the three Christmas specials I MUST watch every single year: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (see that here), “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” and this one. It features a beautiful wedding scene under “the first Christmas Trees” and is probably what made me fall in love with the beauty of this season before I knew how truly special it also was. And as soon as you hear the music, you cannot help but sing along to “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”.
Source: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 1970
Springsteen’s version is just as infectious and features some funky saxophone playing by another Big Man, Clarence Clemmons (miss you, Clarence!!!)
The Boss’ other holiday gem is just as special. “Merry Christmas, Baby” is a rocking, bluesy, jazzy and romantic way to celebrate the season with that special someone. It is also perfect for singing along to while you are alone in your car, or while decorating the tree with some of your closest friends or sharing a holiday meal with family. For me, it’s all those things and another reminder of why I love Bruce!!!
Hello, Vixens!!! How are all of you lovelies today? I hope you are all taking the time to pamper yourselves a little each day while you rush around to accomplish all the items on your to do list. If not, why not take a moment now to do so with a great Christmas song?
Source: klapon.com
Did you know that today would have been Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra’s 100th birthday? However you think of him, whether as Ole Blue Eyes, the Chairman of the Board, as a member of the Rat Pack, an actor, a crooner, the other singer from New Jersey (OK, maybe that’s just me), Nancy’s dad or just Frank, his voice and legacy are undeniably a part of American culture that is unsurpassed.
One of my all time favorite Christmas songs is “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and Sinatra’s take on it, with a beautiful choir accompanying him and released under its original Latin title-“Adeste Fideles“-is beautiful.
Hello, Vixens!!! How are your Christmas plans coming along? Are you getting all your shopping/baking/decorating/celebrating/wrapping done? I try to adhere to a less is more approach to this season (operative word here is “try”), but it always includes some great music.
Source: caryschmidt.com
So while you are knee deep in holiday preparations, give yourself a well deserved break by pouring a mug of your favorite beverage, grabbing a Christmas cookie or candy cane as a snack, and indulge in the sounds of the season.
Today’s song was featured in one of my all-time favorite movies, holiday or otherwise, “Love Actually“. It is by a man who, as of today, has been sadly & unbelievably gone from this world for 48 years. But thankfully, the phenomenal gift of his voice stays with us in such classics like “(Sittin’ On ) The Dock of The Bay“, “Try A Little Tenderness“, “Shake” and “I Can’t Turn You Loose“. Please note that I do not own the rights to the music or the videos. I am just sharing my favorites and some great performances from the man himself 🙂 .
Music is such a special part of my life, and Christmas songs are no different. There have been so many great versions of almost every song, it was hard to narrow it down to just 20. But with 10 days to go before the big day, I thought I would share my list with all of you.
Each song includes a link to a YouTube video. I do not own the rights to anything, nor am I associated with any of the channels/videos that I chose. I just picked ones that showcased either the artists and/or the song enough to give you the best feel for the tune (in my humble opinion).
All opinions are my own.
What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? Tell me in the comments below.
Enjoy!!!
1) Merry Christmas Baby by Bruce Springsteen ( written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore).
It’s Bruce. To say this is perfect would only be redundant.
2) Christmas Time is Here by the Peanuts ( written by Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi).
The Peanuts were my best friends when I was a kid, and today they are just as special to me. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the main reason why. If all I did for the holiday season was watch this special, my Christmas would still be perfect.
3) White Christmas by Otis Redding (written by Irving Berlin).
Yes, I know all about the popularity of Bing Crosby’s version. However, in my humble opinion, Redding brings such a stunning soulful element to his version of this song I really cannot listen to any other one. And if it was good enough for the “Love Actually” soundtrack, it is good enough for me.
4) Winter Wonderland by Ray Charles (written by Felix Bernard).
Charles’ take on this is as unique and gorgeous as his version of “America The Beautiful”. Truly a holiday gem.
5) Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives (written by Johnny Marks).
Who does not want a singing snowman??? Burl Ives is one of the reasons why I still tune in to watch “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” even now.
6) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love (written by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry).
Love has performed this song on Letterman’s show since 1993. You have to watch both the studio version and the live version to truly appreciate this song and Love’s voice.
7) Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (written by Charles Wesley).
Between the Peanuts characters singing it at the end of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and it being the song that celebrated George Bailey’s worth in “It’s A Wonderful Life”, it is impossible for me to hear any version of this song and not get verklempt. A multitude of singers have covered this song but Martina McBride, Neil Diamond & Frank Sinatra’s versions are among my favorites.
8) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland (written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane).
Tony Bennett called Garland the greatest singer he ever heard. I am in no position to argue with a man of his talent and taste.
9) Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley (written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson).
It’s ELVIS!!!
10) O Come All Ye Faithful by Nat King Cole (written by John Francis Wade).
Most people associate him with the most famous version of “The Christmas Song”, but it is this Christmas classic that I love the most of Cole’s holiday recordings.
11) The Christmas Song by Tony Bennett (written by Mel Torme & Robert Wells).
Tony Bennett is a legend. If you do not have any of his music in your collection, you are doing yourself a disservice.
12) It’s a Marshmallow World by Dean Martin (written in 1949 by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose).
I think Frank Sinatra would even agree that Martin was probably the coolest member of the Rat Pack.
13) Celebrate Me Home by Kenny Loggins (written by Bob James and Kenny Loggins).
Not a cover of a Christmas classic, but a song of Loggins’ very own is now a holiday staple.
14) What Christmas Means To Me by Stevie Wonder (written by Anna Gordy Gaye (yes, Marvin Gaye’s first wife) & George Gordy).
Another original Christmas tune that has become a staple of the holiday. And who can forget Will Ferrell’s “Elf” jumping on the mattresses with his little brother while this song was playing?
15) Silver Bells by Rosemary Clooney & Bing Crosby (written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans).
Before her nephew George was probably even born, Rosemary Clooney was Hollywood’s “it” girl. Anything she sang was perfection and pairing her voice with Bing Crosby’s turned a song into a spectacular event.
16) Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon (written by John Lennon & Yoko Ono).
From the man who told us “love is the answer”, peace was the gift he wanted for the world, and not just at Christmas.
17) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams (written by Eddie Pola and George Wyle).
I’ll admit this song now reminds me of back to school shopping thanks to a fabulous campaign several years ago by Staples, but it is a holiday classic nonetheless.
18) The Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth by Bing Crosby & David Bowie (Drummer Boy written by Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati & Katherine Kennicott Davis, and the Peace on Earth music & lyrics written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman and Alan Kohan expressly for the recording by Crosby and Bowie).
In theory this was an odd pairing, but in principle their voices worked so well together it is hard to imagine this season without this song. But I still wonder what would have happened if Bowie had shown up at Crosby’s house dressed as Ziggy Stardust??? (LOL)
19) O Holy Night by Eric Cartman (written by Adolphe-Charles Adam).
South Park is one of my all time favorite shows, and this clip illustrates just one of the reasons why. Any reverence I had for this song is gone thanks to Trey Parker and Matt Stone, but I would not have it any other way!!!
20) Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer by Elmo and Patsy (written by Randy Brooks).
This brings back memories of me and my cousins signing this song to my grandmother, who I miss everyday, not just at Christmas. But this makes me feel a little closer to her.
Hi there, Vixens!!! 2014 has had several high points for me (starting this blog being one of them), and two of the highest points were getting to see Yusuf/Cat Stevens live TWICE!!!
The first time was in April at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (he was one of the inductees who performed-read about that here) and the second time was Thursday night (12/4/14) at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
Photos and videos were not permitted so I do not have any to show you, but I can share that Yusuf gave an unbelievably great performance. My favorite moment of the night was when he sang “Trouble” from the “Harold & Maude” soundtrack. And when he sang his cover of Sam Cooke’s “Another Saturday Night” he advised the audience he changed the lyrics to reflect his search for a job, not a woman, out of respect for his wife. What a sweetheart!!!
The first single from his new release was another highlight. If you have not heard it-Yusuf’s stunning version of the Edgar Winter song, “Dying to Live”, listen to it here.
I can also share with you one of my all time favorite stops whenever I am on the road: a meal at a Cracker Barrel Restaurant. I discovered this delightful chain of comfort food, old time candy with antiques on display when I took my first trip to Vermont nearly a decade ago, and I have adored it ever since. The food is always good, the service is always exceptional and the charming ambiance cannot be beat!!! (These are my personal opinions from my own experiences. I am not a paid sponsor),
On my way home to NY the day after the concert I stopped at the one in Mount Laurel, NJ during lunch time & had one of my two favorite meals there: breakfast.
No one makes pancakes like Cracker Barrel, in my humble opinion!!! Delectable!!! And I was lucky enough to get a table right near the fire, which was perfect on a cold, rainy December day!!!
How cozy!!!
After I ate, I took a tour of the beautiful holiday decorations throughout the store:
One of my weaknesses is for snowmen!!! What a great idea to use the top of one on the tree!!!
These bobble heads are sooo sweet!!!
One of several gorgeous trees on display!!!
What a pretty (and big!!!) snowflake!!! I think this would look just as pretty hanging from a ribbon in front of an inside window!!!
Sooo adorable!!! Love the glittery vest and pink chubby cheeks!!!! Has a retro feel to him….reminds me of ones I saw in the front yards of homes in my neighborhood where I grew up!!!)
I wish I had a little baby in my life who I could buy these booties for!!!
I did not buy anything this year, but I bought this cookie jar last year (my other weakness is for gingerbread people!!!). I was lucky to get it after Christmas so it was 50% off!!! Steal!!!
Even when I cannot make it to local estate and garage sales, I am always on the look out for vintage items. One of my favorite ways to find them? I sign in to Ebay. I used to be completely against online shopping for vintage pieces, but then I saw that heart tugging ebay commercial about the man who finds the toy he lost as a child decades earlier (if you have never seen that ad, you MUST!!! Check it out here: http://youtu.be/E0x9punvi9o).
In the last month, I made two great finds. The first one is a Peanuts Christmas pot holder (yes, I shop for Christmas & other holiday items year round, especially ones featuring my buddies, the Peanuts!!!). Plus the holidays are right around the corner so I like to get a jump on things.
The other is an old match dispenser which has a wonderful patina. I plan to hang it right by my front door as a holder for my sunglasses and my keys.
This was an item I never would have searched for, but Ebay keeps track of what items you look at and buy, then they send you periodic emails for similar items or ones they think you might be interested in. That is how I found the match holder.
So until next time fellow vixens, happy digging!!!
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Lilacs & Rust 