Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!! I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.

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Picture-A-Day:
Our office contribution to the holiday festivities. Office kitchen, afternoon.

The Fearless Vampire Killers

I like vampire lore. I have my favorites, my guilty pleasures, and the stories I can't stand. It's more than a passing phase--I have always liked vampires--but I certainly wouldn't consider myself an expert (I haven't even read an Anne Rice novel). However, this does not keep me from being surprised that I have never seen this movie. Especially because I like my vampires with a little camp. hopefully I can find it this weekend. I must see this.










Picture-A-Day:
Morning glory (definitely not vampire friendly). In the yard, morning.

Gothic Heroine

If the heroines of original and Victorian Gothic romance literature were notable for being naive and virtuous and for possessing a temptingly latent sexuality that is the object of desire for a dark villain and a brooding Byronic hero, then today's romantic heroines have shifted with the societal norms and tend to be more complex, independent, feisty and ass-kickingly self reliant. Yet there is still something undeniably tempting and beautiful about the original incarnation, which represents an ideal of youth and beauty and naiveté that is sort of heartbreaking in its unattainability.

Serious issues of objectification and solid feminist argument aside, these female characters still spark our curiosity and imagination, can still inspire. And remain, if limited, beautiful.

There is also something fascinating about the other female of Gothic romance, the dark ladies, the femme fatale, the corrupted innocent, purity driven mad...

Read: The Castle of Otranto, The Mysteries of Udolpho, Wuthering Heights, Dracula, Jane Eyre, The Yellow Wallpaper, Northanger Abbey.

Picture-A-Day:
Frilly things in my backseat. My car, morning.

Listening to Phantogram.
Links to come...so so busy today.

When Birds are Scary

Today is cloudy and grey, the birds on my window ledge are acting strange, and Halloween--holiday of horror--is drawing near. This all has me thinking about scary movies, and one in particular. Granted, I was never a huge fan of the movie, and I never read the Daphne Du Maurier story, but the images from this movie really stay with you and are quite frightening (except for the clothes that is).

Luckily there is some thick glass between me and the flock out my window, but I'm keeping an eye out (no pun intended) just in case.



Picture-A-Day:
It doesn't look like it wants to attack me...does it? Out the window, late morning.

Listening to...ha ha, just kidding. Really, Slow Skate.

The Procession in Portland

Sometimes I miss Portland so much I wonder why I don't just pack up my stuff and move back. Especially when Portlanders do things like this.

This event was just a mix of some of my favorite, favorite things, as well as a perfect way to kick off Halloween week: Gothic romance, black clothing, fashion, millinery, fog, cemeteries, parasols, fall trees. Beautiful.

Pinkham Millinery presents The Procession

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Picture-A-Day: If you're bored, you're boring? I'm boring today. Office, afternoon.


Listening to The Low Anthem, after seeing their amazing show with Blind Pilot this weekend.

Brain's Feeling Lazy

Not much to say today. Don't you just feel like that sometimes?

Picture-A-Day: On my street, morning.

Listening to The Yaron Herman Trio.

Definitely a Girl.

Some male friends were teasing me that my blog is so "girly,"* and so I thought I would try to man it up a bit with, you know, mustaches

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and guns

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and various other manly things, but then I got distracted by Kate Towers and her beautiful dresses, and, well, I suppose there is just no denying your true nature. And my true nature is girly through and through.

But these are better than guns and mustaches any day.**










*I wonder if they looked at this post?

**Although I do really enjoy both. Especially on women.



Picture-A-Day:
Light bulb recycling. Office mail room, morning.

Listening to The Slits.