Gearing up for Fall and the busy holiday shopping season ahead, Ms. Jeannie is taking the briefest of moments to highlight where and why you can find her in the world of social media. Besides here on the blog and on Etsy, you can find Ms. Jeannie…
A vintage inspired re-tweet from flavorwire. Bookish business cards!
Here you’ll find Ms. Jeannine tweeting about literary quotes, interesting vintage inspired trends (like the above bookish business cards!), historical fun facts, new shop items, cool places to travel, favorite books and secret sale announcements. Follow Ms. Jeannie on twitter here.
Just recently joined, here you’ll find behind-the-scenes shots of Ms. Jeannie’s blog photo shoots, moments of nature that catch her attention, ideas being crafted in the shop and of course magical moments with Indie – the biggest ham on Instagram! Follow Ms. Jeannie on Instagram here.
Some of Ms. Jeannie’s most popular boards include (from left to right): The Vintage House, The Vintage Man and the Vintage Garden
On Pinterest you’ll find a collection of design boards curated by Ms. Jeannie that seamlessly blend vintage items into our contemporary world through decorating, gardening, fashion, cooking, party planning and more. There’s a bit of whimsy floating around that space too! Fun boards include: Scenes from a Dinner Party Long Ago, True Adventurers and The Vintage Bird. Sign up to follow Ms. Jeannie on Pinterest here.
Vintage concrete rabbit bookends available in Ms. Jeannie’s shop.
This is the least utilized of all the social media outlets by Ms. Jeannie at the moment but come September this is where you’ll find new shop items, press mentions, shop sales, vintage item collections and favorite books. Like Ms. Jeannie on Facebook here.
And a big BIG thank you dear readers for encouraging the world of Ms. Jeannie in all the ways that you do. From comments on the blog to social media likes and favorites to individual messages – every single one of your thoughts and clicks counts big time in helping Ms. Jeannie persue her passion. It’s cliche to say she couldn’t do it with out you. But really she couldn’t do it without you. Thanks for being marvelous.
Please include your social media links in the comments section so we all can find you too!
Nepal! Kashmir! Siberia! Kenai! Travel in the early days of the 20th century was fraught with drama, romance and the unknown. No other American family traveled with such gusto to the most magical of places quite like the Roosevelts. Pursuers of big-game hunting, scouts for museum science collections and recordings of natural history carried both male and female members of the family around the world seeking exotic experience.
Theodore & Edith Roosevelt
Following the death of Theodore Roosevelt in 1919, his wife, Edith, escaped her grief and memories wafting around their Sagamore Hill house on Long Island, NY by traveling abroad to the most exotic of destinations. A collection of her travel experiences along with the equally thrilling escapades of other family members dating between 1920 and 1926 were collected in this now rare book…
Cleared For Strange Ports published in 1927.
Today we are going to take an intimate look into the journal-style writings of four members of the Roosevelt family who dared to travel to the farthest of far-off places. So grab your pith helmets and your binoculars dear readers, as we head back 90 years to see first-hand what it was like to ride an elephant in India, chase a tiger in Bhadravati and travel across frozen ground in Siberia.
“There was so much to see and think about – so many impressions to seize and try to hold forever, as the minutes raced by, all crammed with new sights. I prayed that passing years would not blur the brightness of memory, and that this wayside magic would remain with me a treasure-store, vivid and keen, for the years ‘when we are old and gray and full of sleep.’ “ – Belle Willard Roosevelt, 1926
Belle Wyatt Willard and Kermit Roosevelt
Heiress Belle Wyatt Willard married Theodore and Edith’s son, Kermit. In 1926, she traveled to Kashmir with Kermit, her sister-in-law Ethel and Ethel’s husband Richard Derby. She wrote Ms. Jeannie’s most favorite entry in the book entitled: The Land Where The Elephants Are…
Belle Wyatt Roosevelt on her Howdah Elephant
” The long-line of elephants in solemn procession were a source of never-failing joy. There was always their preposterous conformation to ponder over; the enormous flapping ears and the ridiculous minute inquiring eyes; the strange toothless leer of the tusk-less ones; the great loose knees which turned outward with a baggy shuffle and the delightful incredible toe-nails. The whole massive gray bulk finished off by a spindle-tail with a thorny end gave such an inconsequential air to an otherwise dignified creature. The huge lumbered beasts stepped ever so carefully, a long trunk poked and felt about investigating every propitious spot before each foot was placed gently, softly with exact precision.” – B. W. Roosevelt, 1926
“Silently, alert and rigid, in anticipation we started off in single file, elephant behind elephant, in long line. The giant jungle grasses in many places waved some eight to ten feet above our heads as we stood upright in the howdahs. Below was a dense mass of lineas and thicket through which the elephants mowed their way, uprooting and tearing aside with their trunks any serious obstruction.” B.W. Roosevelt, 1926
Kermit Roosevelt (1889-1943)
Tragically Belle’s husband Kermit committed suicide in 1943, seventeen years after they traveled by the elephant train pictured above. An explorer from the very beginning, Kermit was a passionate hunter determined to understand the natural movements and motivations of animals, the environments they existed in and the impact they had upon culture. Nowadays, with conservation hot and heavy on everyone’s mind, it seems almost impossible to understand how anyone could shoot a tiger or a bear, chase down a wild pig or hunt game birds but thanks to the explorations of men (and women!) like the Roosevelts our knowledge of the natural world grew far beyond our own backyards.
“We were eager to get for the Field Museum as a representative a collection of Indian fauna as the limited time of our disposal would permit….These early morning stalks, although they netted us but little for the collection, were always a delight. You never knew what you might come across, as you slipped through the underbrush to pause at the edge of some forest-glade. The dewfall was heavy and in a half-hour you were drenched to the waist. We wore shorts so that there were no soggy trousers to cling to your knees and impede your going.” – Kermit Roosevelt, Balharshah, India 1925
The Roosevelts collected specimens for the Field Museum in Chicago which were incorporated into many exhibits within the museum including dioramas, many of which can still be seen on display today.
The Field Museum of Chicago’s Ovis Poli diorama currently on display at the museum. These specimens were brought back by Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Photo via the Field Museum.
Its important to note that all the animals hunted during these trips were killed for scientific collections and studies. Nothing was wasted or killed in vain and if hides were all that were needed to take home than meat of the animals was given to local villagers as food source.
“To a student of “The Jungle Books,” the native nomenclature of the animals offered no difficulties, and we all felt at home chatting about Baloo the bear and bandars that swung through the trees ahead of the beaters; even Ming the bat was among those present.” – K. Roosevelt, India 1925
The Roosevelts were as well-read as they were well-traveled. Book references are mentioned over a dozen times within Cleared For Strange Ports showcasing how a good book can be just as thrilling an adventure as travel itself. Books even served as travel companions. Among the belongings of one Roosevelt safari was a 60 volume set of leather skinned classics that the Roosevelts were hoping would acquire a little bit of weathered patina upon their journey!
Safari camp set-up was explained by Belle…
“Our quarters were luxurious, a large double tent: two bathrooms for each couple; a dining tent, and a living-tent opening onto the great log fire, around which we sat after dinner under the stars.” – B. Roosevelt, India 1926
Ethel Carow Roosevelt & Richard Derby
Surgeon Richard Derby married Ethel Carow Roosevelt (Kermit’s sister). When Richard traveled he not only took time to write down his thoughts on his surroundings but he also spent equal time photographing the landscape. One of the cameras he used during his travels was an Akeley motion picture camera, developed by Carl Akeley who traveled with Richard’s father-in-law Theodore Roosevelt in Africa. Richard contributed a gorgeous piece of writing in Cleared For Strange Ports about seeing Alaska in 1925…
Mountain range and moose sightings by Richard Derby
“…and I saw the real Alaska – a country which lays its iron hand upon strong willed men and holds them in everlasting fealty, a country whose beauty and natural resources are so stupendous that man obeys its beckon and becomes its slave. Not a slavery of the soul, however, for Alaska only attracts the high-spirited romantic, developing his individuality and self reliance, and cultivating those traits which are only born of an eternal matching of wits with nature.” – Richard Derby, 1925 written on an Alaskan liner bound for Seward
Of course transportation wasn’t without its trials in these remote places. Kermit writes of his experience aboard the Trans-Siberian in 1925…
The Roosevelts in Siberia
“The wash room was frozen solid, but our porter was well used to such conditions, and came in brandishing a four-foot iron poker, with its end-heated red hot. This he rammed down the pipes and circulation was temporarily restored.” – K. Roosevelt, 1923, aboard the Trans-Siberian Railway
The weather in Siberia in the winter often times reaches in the -minus 60’s to 80′ s. Indeed it was a cold January when Kermit was there…
Edith Roosevelt in Harbin
“It is true that the Russian bundles himself up well in furs, but even so it made us shiver to see the men and women sitting chattering on the benches along the streets, apparently as comfortably and unconcernedly as if they were enjoying a bock in front of Cafe de la Pain in July.” – K. Roosevelt, Harbin, 1924
In warmer climates like India it was the locals as much as the wildlife that made quite an impression…
Water Carriers in India
“The women from near-by villages came swinging along with their brass water-bowls on their heads; when they had filled these and departed, the monkeys trooped down to drink, chasing away the lean pariah dogs who retired snarling. In the trees the gaudy peacocks screamed.” – K. Roosevelt, 1925
Paraguyan Market Posados, 1926
“And we stepped into a new life which I supposed was not to be found outside of books or cinema…” – Edith, Posados, Buenos Aires, 1927
In her passage about elephants Belle described riding through jungle as mythical, extraordinary and startling. There was no telling all at once what was scurrying, slithering or silently sitting in all that lush vegetation. The jungle unfolded around her scent by scent, step by step and sight by sight.
This is exactly what Ms. Jeannie experienced reading Cleared For Strange Ports. Endlessly fascinating her Roosevelt writers explained it all – the exotic travel experience unfolded page by page in poetic prose and incredible imagery.
The Roosevelts being fellow book lovers themselves would approve of this volume in particular. It contains the best of weathered patina – loose pages, foxing, an errant ink stain, that wonderful old book smell and various smudge stained paper. It’s lived a thrilling life – just like the Roosevelts!
If you are interested in reading Cleared For Strange Ports, please visit Ms. Jeannie’s shop here. And if any readers have visited the Field Museum in Chicago, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the Roosevelt collections!
Summer has always been synonymous with big blockbuster movies. You know the kind dear readers… big-scale, action-packed, testosterone fueled. If there is a building to be blown up or a car to be flipped or some sort of post-apocalyptic disaster to be explored you can bet you’ll experience it first-hand in a crowded movie theater on a steamy summer day.
One of the biggest summer blockbuster movies of all times premiered in July 1988, making Bruce Willis an international icon…
Die Hard and the four sequels that followed…
Die Hard 2 (1990), Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
spanned a total of twenty plus years of blockbuster magic. That’s one incredible feat! But the film series actually spanned even more years than that. Did you know dear readers, that Willis’ character, NYPD officer John McClane, really stems back another twenty years?
In late May of 1968, just as summer was getting underway, Frank Sinatra starred in this crime thriller…
as professionally capable yet personally troubled police detective Joe Leland determined to solve a grisly murder mystery. His character was adapted from the runaway bestselling novel of 1966, The Detective…
by American author Roderick Thorp. Containing just under 600 pages the book was lauded for its gritty yet sensitive themes and layered characters not often portrayed in the typical detective novels of the time.
Scene from The Detective. The movie also starred Lee Remick, Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Duvall. Photo via pinterest.
Frank Sinatra brought the character to life on the big screen making the movie just as sensational as the book. Due to the popularity of Roderick Thorp’s novel, the success of the Frank Sinatra film, and the enigmatic character of Joe Leland, Thorp wrote a sequel to The Detective which was published in 1979 titled Nothing Lasts Forever. In this new novel Thorp continued on with Joe’s adventures fighting crime while battling with his own inner demons.
Again, history repeated itself and Nothing Lasts Forever became a bestseller and was green-lighted for film adaptation. Only this time there was one hitch. When Frank Sinatra originally starred as Joe LeLand in 1968, his contract stated that he would be offered the title role to any and all sequels. But unlike his character, Sinatra aged at the normal speed of a human being, which means that by the time the film version of Nothing Lasts Forever was ready to be made in the 1980’s Frank Sinatra was in his early 70’s – too old to play Joe.
Frank Sinatra on set of The Detective, NYC 1967, photo via pinterest
So legend has it – that in order to get around this clause in Sinatra’s contract, the title character’s name would have to be changed so that another actor could fill his spot. Joe Leland became John McClane and Bruce Willis replaced Frank Sinatra. Nothing Lasts Forever usually gets all the notoriety of being the inspiration for Die Hard, but really it all started with the roots of the main character in The Detective.
Roderick Thorp
Thorp went on to write 10 other published works with some pieces being adapted for television, but none had the intensity nor the popularity of character quite like Joe. The Die Hard movies went on to become film industry gold earning over one billion dollars world-wide. Thorp died in 1999, which afforded him the ability to see at least the first three Die Hard movies made and experience the big-budget frenzy and marketing empire that they created. It must have been pretty exciting for him! To know that he created a character three decades before that was still storming the minds and hearts of crime readers and movie-goers around the world. A blockbuster indeed – write (pun inteded!) from the beginning!
You can find The Detective in Ms. Jeannie’s shop here and the trailer for Sintara’s 1968 film portrayal here.
What is your favorite summer blockbuster dear readers? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
From the pinterest boards of Ophelia’s Renaissance
“And for your part Ophelia, I do wish
That your good beauties be the happy cause
Of Hamlet’s wildness; so shall I hope your virtues
Will bring him to his wonted way again…”
– Queen Gertrude from Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Poetic, romantic, cinematic, storied these are just a few words that Ms. Jeannie would use to describe one of her most favorite pinners on Pinterest – Ophelia’s Renaissance. Beautifully melancholy, just like her namesake, the picture boards of Ophelia’s Renaissance tell a million timeless stories. From board titles like …
Picked and pleasantly arranged…
and
to the actual images themselves, Ophelia’s Renaissance is an incredible example of a well-curated theme. Part literary, part history, part high fashion and part dark art, this week we’re stepping behind the screen to learn about a prolific pinner and what inspires the brain behind the boards.
From the Ophelia’s REnaissance board Let’s Find A Place Where We Don’t Care
Ms. Jeannie Ology: How long have you been on Pinterest?
Ophelia’s Renaissance: Approximately four years, I believe.
{Ophelia’s Renaissance at present includes over 75 boards and over 100,000 individual images. Clearly this is not something built up in a weekend! That is the wonderful thing about Pinterest and pinners like OR – they represent an exercise in intuition performed in small steps over vast time. It’s putting together a gallery of personal tastes and possibilities. It’s a cultivation of ideas and aesthetics, of conversation and curiosities. It’s a veritable art gallery of thoughts and emotions view-able by anyone anywhere around the world.}
From the board All The World’s A Stage
MJO: What are three words that describe your style?
OR: Elegant, classy, and traditional.
From the boards of Ophelia’s RenaissanceFrom the board For the Home
MJO: What do you look for in a pin-worthy picture?
OR: It needs to be visually appealing, or provide some insight.
From the board: Libraries
{Naturally, Ms. Jeannie is drawn to the library photographs!}
From the Board Libraries
MJO: Tell us a little about yourself (anything you like) work, hobbies, etc.
OR: I am a high school English teacher who enjoys reading and writing. I also love to decorate.
{Pinterest is so inspiring that way! You can gather ideas, dream the day away or simply just pause for a minute and admire a moment in time captured by a camera. Whether spur of the moment or staged, photography requires thought.}
From the board
MJO: Of your own boards, which is your most favorite at the moment?
OR: “Resuscitating Ophelia and Virginia” or “Nascent Phase”
Resuscitating on the left, Nascent on the right
(Okay, Ms. Jeannie confesses she had to look up the word nascent which means just coming into existence or beginning to display signs of future potential. A fantastic word! Nascent is O.R. children’s themed board. So clever. This is exactly why Ms. Jeannie is such a fan!}
MJO: Regarding other people’s Pinterest accounts – which board or person do you most admire?
OR: I honestly don’t have a favorite. I look to different boards for different interests. If I am scrolling through Pins and I am not finding anything, then I revert to those I consider my favorites.
From the board Evoke
MJO: How does Pinterest influence your daily life?
OR: Before I was on Pinterest, I would look forward to receiving my home decorating subscriptions such as Veranda, Traditional Home, Southern Accents, Martha Stewart, Country Home and Country Living. I would escape into these beautiful rooms and cut out pictures so as to try and emulate the designs that caught my eye. I would create binders, so I could remember what it was I wanted to create for my living space. When I was really young, I would cut out beautiful pictures from magazines and post them on my closet doors. Pinterest offers the same escape and allows me to gravitate towards things that I find visually appealing. It also affords me an opportunity to post everything else I enjoy such as books and music. It is just my preferred pretty hang-out when I need to rid myself of stress.
From the board: Evoke
{So well said. In our modern day and age, Pinterest is everyone’s closet door. It’s an escape like Alice in Wonderland’s looking glass or Dorothy’s tornado dream of Oz. It transports you to places you naturally want to go. And just coming off an introspective study of The Artists Way, Ms. Jeannie understands that Pinterest can also serve as both a catalyst and a definitive of who you are and where you wish to go.}
MJO: What’s the story behind the name Ophelia’s Renaissance?
OR: I always wanted to own a store and imagined this as the name. Ophelia, is one of my favorite characters in Shakepeare’s Hamlet. There is something about those who are driven to commit suicide, either in life or fiction, that disturbs, and simultaneously intrigues me. So here, on Pinterest, I have created the rebirth or revival of one of my favorite characters.
From the board Resuscitating Ophelia and Virginia
MJO: If you could fall into any Pinterest picture and spend some time there which one would you choose and why?
OR: Again, there are so many pictures that provide a lovely escape, I would find it difficult to pick one.
{Understandably so! The boards of Ophelia’s Renaissance are not for the fly-by-nighters who have just one second of free-time. They are boards meant to be explored and discovered, appreciated and enjoyed.}
Like Hamlet’s tragic heroine, Ophelia beautiful both inside and out, knew the right time – her own time – to make the story her own. Centuries later her quiet impact still inspires. A fantastic thumbs up to Shakespeare for creating such an indelible character and for modern day English teachers for keeping her spirit alive! Never underestimate the power of pinterest!
From the board The Effect of Fairy Tales
If you are not familiar with pinterest, Ms. Jeannie highly encourages you to take some time and poke around the site here. Take a little tour around Ophelia’s world here. Find Ms. Jeannie’s pinterest boards here.
From the boards of Ophelia’s Renaissance
Do you have a favorite pinner on Pinterest dear readers? If so, please share links and thoughts below!
Fireworks flew high this weekend all over the place in celebration of the 4th. But in the Ology household the Jeannie’s were celebrating Independence day for a whole extra reason. Can you guess what it is dear readers? Here’s a little hint…
This past weekend of the 4th marked the year of the 1st…
The first year of Indie!
Exactly 365 days ago incredible Indie appeared like some sort of mythical, magical creature – a gift of fate and of such good fortune Ms. Jeannie could hardly stand it.
First photo – July 5th, 2014
Since that firecracker day, Indie’s bounded through the year like a champ.
She’s been a devoted roadtripper alongside Ms. Jeannie…
She’s figured out the best thunderstorm bunker is the laundry room…
and the best water dish is the front yard bird bath…
She’s run with the wild ones at the dog park…
And enjoyed the quiet contemplation of a summer morning*…
There have been wild wonder field trips… canine to cat conversations… and pretty photo-ops…
A deliciously decadent year of all things dog. Of course, Ms. Jeannie had to ring in the year with a treat – a celebratory cake just for Indie made with peanut butter and apples and frosted with greek yogurt…
Party approved! And most very importantly – puppy approved – 365 days over:) Happy first homecoming to Indie, Miss Independant, Indiana Bones and all the other little nicknames bestowed upon this one free spirit;)
*If you are curious as to what types of books Indie enjoys reading, click here.
Dear readers! There’s going to be some changes around the land of Ms. Jeannie Ology. If you have been a regular reader of the the blog over the past few months you might have noticed a more book-centric theme winding its way through each blog post. After many months of deliberation, in a breakthrough finally come to light thanks to The Artist’s Way, Ms. Jeannie is tailoring both her vintage shop and her blog towards the greatest love in her life (aside from Mr. Jeannie Ology, of course!) … the world of vintage books and the eclectic decorating of the well-appointed library.
Ta-dah!
What does this mean exactly?
Visually you’ll notice a new banner at the top of the blog as well as in Ms. Jeannie’s Etsy shop. You’ll also notice a new theme running through the veins of every blog post from here on out: a vintage book. Now hold on, there tiger – it doesn’t mean stuffy book reports or boring book reviews. The blog is still going to be all about cooking and decorating, about vintage treasures and about movies and gardening and traveling here and there. It’s just going to tie in a vintage book in one way or another.
Let’s take a look at some past examples of this unique twist…
On August 20th, 2012, there was a post about the curious life and legacy of children’s book author Margaret Wise Brown born from Ms. Jeannie’s introduction to her 1942 bestseller The Runaway Bunny…
Another year, another August brought Tuesday in the Kitchen making Chicken with Scallions (or Kotopoulo me Kremidakia Freska) thanks to a recipe from the 1960’s Art of Greek Cookery cookbook by the clever fund-raising ladies of Long Island’s Greek Orthodox Church…
January 2013 brought an interview with a modern-day French bookbinder who uses antique books as a springboard for her one of a kind handmade journals and guest books…
Love From Lyon: Bookbinding Born From New Beginnings
and in March 2015, the winter landscape was warmed up with a cheery post about the 1948 publication day for world-renowned mineralogist Edgar T. Wherry and his book of wildflowers…
On This Day in 1948: Flowers Bloomed In A Book
So you see dear readers, the vintage book to Ms. Jeannie is like a spinning top toy. Ms. Jeannie as the spinner can twirl a story in a hundred different directions – all unique, all unusual. You just never quite know where it all is going to land and that is what makes it fun and exciting. Ms. Jeannie promises to keep it most interesting.
What does this mean as far as vintage items offered in Ms. Jeannie’s shop?
A more literary look! With an eye towards appealing library essentials, you’ll find all sorts of new themed treasures unveiling themselves over the next several months. There will be bigger things like vintage chairs, rugs, wall art and lamps…
Vintage Brass Library Lamp
and a collection of smaller things that can be tucked in or on a bookshelf. Like vintage bookends and one of a kind decorative accent pieces these are the types of details that add life and style to your space…
There will also be cozy vintage blankets perfect to curl up with on a cold winter night…
Vintage 1930’s Feedsack Cotton Blanket
vintage tea cups to keep you hydrated during that book reading marathon of yours and even a few handmade vintage book paper crafts to add whimsy and dimension to your space.
Handmade Book Paper Wreath made from 1930s and 1940s romance novels
And of course, there will be plenty of vintage books spanning all genres in the shop as well! So you get the idea, dear readers. A fun and varied collection of timeless and classic library-ish decor. Ms. Jeannie is really excited about this newly refined direction. Cheers to new chapters! And cheers to you dear readers, the very best readers in all the world:)
Summer is in full swing here in the garden, dear readers! Since this is the first year living in the schoolhouse it has been exciting to see what new things pop up in the garden and, so far this summer has been no disappointment. Apart from the seedlings that Ms. Jeannie has planted she has been pleasantly surprised to see beds full of iris, roses, tulips and lilies, all in an array of different colors and varieties. The latest to present her pretty face…
the dahlia – of a most elegant height (almost 5’feet!) and a most robust disposition. Dahlias have been around since the 1600’s thanks to their “official” discovery in Mexico by these guys…
the Spanish Conquistadors, but it was the Aztec Indians who actually first utilized the flowers as a water source integrated within their hunting communities. Back then, the Aztecs knew the Tree Dahlia – a massive 20′ foot tall tree full of flowers (how pretty!)…
but as the flower slowly became introduced into Europe and then England over the next century, smaller more-plant like types were cultivated and world-wide familiarity bloomed alongside a diverse amount of varieties.
Lady Elizabeth Webster Holland is credited with introducing the dahlia to England in the early 1800’s thus securing its survival in eastern Europe
In the 1950’s, the dahlia became a popular home garden flower and made its way center-stage to flower shows where it gained new found attention and supporters in the form of dahlia clubs all across the United States. Marian Walker, a novelist and avid gardener herself devoted an entire book to them in 1953, which Ms. Jeannie just listed in her shop…
Dahlias For Every Garden by Marian C. Walker – $8.00
Full of mid-century gardening advice on how to care, cultivate and enjoy these flashy flowers as well as the story of their natural history and evolution, it also contains information on how to professionally show them, dissecting what makes a prize-winner vs. what just makes a pretty garden. A special photograph section in both color and black and white emphasis the dramatic differences between the 20 individual types within the species …
Thanks to avid enthusiasts there are now over 50,000 registered individual dahlia varieties throughout the world today. Imagine that, dear readers! It’s no wonder though really, with their cone shaped petals, flashy colors, and multi-stemmed flowers they produce some of the more dramatic statements in the garden landscape. And with their ability to reflect light in all sorts of dramatic ways, they make for especially stunning bouquets. Even after they are passed their prime, and have technically expired, some varieties like this all-white version from Ms. Jeannie’s garden, still looks pretty as it dries to a crinkly brown…
In a nod to bringing the outdoors in and to incorporating these pretty flowers into living spaces year-round, Ms. Jeannie is now offering dahlia flower wreaths made out of vintage book papers in her shop…
Handmade Vintage Paper Wreath – $38.00
Just like the real flowers, these paper versions take on different personalities depending on the changing light within a room from morning to night…
Above are photographs of the same wreath taken at different times throughout the day! Because this wreath itself is made out of three different shades of aged paper from three different books – all romance themed fiction novels that date to the 1930’s and 1940’s – it takes on an ombre style color pattern graduating from light to dark. And at 23″ inches in diameter, it makes for an eye-catching wall display that’s ever-changing throughout the day.
Carrying themes of love, adventure, mystery and drama within each book page, these nature-inspired beauties not only make for dramatic wall decor, but also for fun gifts or decorations for weddings, showers and parties. Since no two are alike they appeal to Ms. Jeannie’s sense of decorating outside of the ordinary!
photo via pinterest
Whether you are planting them in your garden, collecting them in your bookshelf or hanging them on your wall, dahlias (in all shapes, sizes and forms!) can add a bit of pretty personality to your life.
Cheers to their strength, adaptability and individuality!
Stayed tuned to Ms. Jeannie’s shop for new dahlia wreath additions each week!
Vintage Italian Travel Poster by Island Art Store via Etsy
Dear readers, in this week’s post we are all heading on a European adventure to the country best known for two things: food and romance. On this trip you will be transported through food and film back to 1960’s Florence, Italy for an authentically magical night of escapism that will make you feel like the fanciest of weekend jet-setters! .
The Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Lo Pinto c. 1963 First Edition
In your glass: 1967 Grifone Tosacana wine (slightly chilled)
On the big screen: The 1962 romantic drama, The Light in the Piazza, starring Olivia de Havilland, Yvette Mimieux and George Hamilton which was shot entirely on location in Florence.
Ms. Jeannie fell in love with this movie not only for its gorgeous location and costumes but also for its unexpected story and wonderful acting. Olivia deHavilland (who most famously played Melanie in Gone With the Wind) plays Meg, a modern American mid-century mother in a coming of age story centered around her daughter Clara’s budding romance with handsome Italian Fabrizio (played by George Hamilton).
Its not your typical love story, Clara is not your typical young woman and Meg is not your typical mother. With a plot that takes all sorts of twists and turns in unexpected ways, each character reveals several layers of depth, facing situations that are complex and timeless. It’s also very funny and Yvette as Meg’s daughter, Clara, does a delicate job of creating a woman who is both fresh and feisty. Ms. Jeannie will not say anything else so she doesn’t spoil the surprises in the movie but here is the original trailer so you can get a sense of the adventure…
Florence, located in central Italy is known for its gardens, beaches and simple delicate cuisine. So in keeping with the movie Ms. Jeannie chose a recipe from the vintage cookbook, The Art of Regional Italian Cooking by Maria Lo Pinto which organizes the foods of Italy by section within the country.
Combining the best of the beaches and the gardens – the dinner menu represented both attributes with wild fish and garden greens. Adding in a glass (or more!) of the Tuscan blend Grifone Toscana 1967- a 2009 vintage made in the same central region as Florence and a rustic baguette on the side made this authentic Italian dinner complete.
Both dishes were fresh, fast and easy to prepare – perfect summer cooking! Ms. Jeannie purchased both her fish and the wine from Trader Joe’s. Just a little preparation note – tuna cooks best when its is semi-frozen. So if you buy frozen filets like Ms. Jeannie did, you want to just thaw them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before slicing and cooking.
Tuna Viareggio Style (serves 4)
1.5lbs fresh tuna, sliced 1″ inch thick
1/2 cup flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 small clove garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 anchovy filets, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup warm water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt to taste
Dust tuna slices with flour. Fry in skillet in two tablespoons of oil, over moderate flame, until lightly brown on both sides. Remove from pan and keep hot (on a plate covered with a lid works great!). In same pan saute onion, garlic and parsley in balance of oil. Remove garlic and add anchovies and wine: cook slowly until wine almost evaporates. Dilute tomato paste in warm water, and add with rest of ingredients. Cook covered over moderate flame for 15 minutes. Add fish carefully and cook 6-10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
The Sauteed Arugula Greens were a modification from Maria Lo Pinto’s Sauteed Dandelion Greens recipe. Since Ms. Jeannie couldn’t find dandelion greens anywhere, the arugula was the next best substitute. You could also use spinach but cooking times will vary a little bit.
Sauteed Arugula Greens (serves 4)
2 lbs. fresh arugula
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
3 anchovy filets
Clean and wash greens. Roughly cut them in 2″ inch pieces. Heat oil in saucepan, add garlic and brown. Remove garlic and add greens, cover saucepan, and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Cut anchovies into small pieces and add. Mix well and cook 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
And there you have it dear readers! A mini-mental vacation to the land of good living! If you were feeling especially festive, you could also plan an outdoor movie night and set this one up under the stars. It would be very romantic. Or as they’d say in Italian… questo e molto romantico!
The Light in the Piazza is available for download or dvd purchase on Amazon here. The cookbook is available for purchase in Ms. Jeannie’s shop here. Catch up on past blog posts featuring other Italian recipes here. A special thanks to Mr. Jeannie Ology for the handsome hand modeling!
In celebration of the fun and breezy holiday weekend ahead, this is a fun and breezy blog post centering around a curious trend that Ms. Jeannie has been noticing lately as she has been preparing book bios for the book club.
A lot of people are starting to look alike around here. Hmmm… a little backstory…
Every book that goes out in the book club is accompanied by an information sheet containing the following:
– a story bio (so that you know what your book is about)
– an author bio (so that you can learn more about your book’s writer) or a vintage review of the book (so that you can get a sense of what the critics thought of your book way back when)
– and a photo portrait of the author.
After two years with the book club, you can imagine Ms. Jeannie is amassing quite a lot of information and quite a lot of author photographs. It was in working on that aspect of the club that she began to notice certain facial characteristics between authors long ago and contemporary actors today. Is this too many late night hours spent researching author bios and laying out book bio cards? Or is it the ultimate genealogy challenge – could all these actors be related to their novelgangers (thanks to Mr. Jeannie Ology for the creative twist of the word doppleganger) through some sort of crazy branch in their family tree?
Here’s some examples…. (contemporary actors on the left, vintage authors on the right)
Dear readers you decide! Do you see the similarities too or are Ms. Jeannie’s eyes getting too warbled up in her work?! Post your comments below or if you’ve noticed similarities with other actor/authors too send them along and Ms. Jeannie will post them as a follow up.
Nature’s Year: The Season’s of Cape Cod by John Hay (1961) First Edition
To ring in the summer season, Ms. Jeannie is having a vintage book sale in her shop. Within her vintage library you’ll find all sorts of entertaining reads (over 40 in number!) from rare books to vintage classics, cookbooks to romance novels, fascinating biographies to first class fiction.
Here’s a sampling of what’s available…
Vintage Cookbooks
Spanning the 1930’s to the 1970’s… these make great gifts for summer birthdays, thank you gifts, hostess gifts or just a treat for yourself. If you are a food blogger, you’ll find a plethora of writing and cooking material in any one of these vintage gems.
Esquire Cookbook for Men (1955) with fabulously colorful retro illustrations by the whimsical illustrator Charmatz
The Israeli Cookbook (1964) Inspired by the multi-cultural nation of Israel and the millions of passengers of El-Al Airlines who have flown to and from the Holy Lands with generations of their families recipes. Contains Jewish heritage foods, Mediterranean staples, Kosher approved foods and Middle Eastern specialties.
Food Preservation (1930) – Just in time for summer harvesters! Learn how, why, when and what to can, jar or preserve. Ideal for first time experimenters as well as seasoned professionals this book offers a bevy of recipes and techniques!
Looking for a special Father’s Day gift for the dad in your life? You can never ever go wrong with a book! Each purchase comes gift wrapped and tied up in a handsome bow at no extra charge.
The Racing Driver by Denis Jenkinson (1969) – For the speedster in your life – this is the ultimate manual of competition racing. Does your guy love Nascar? Indy races? European motor sports? Then this is the gift for him!
Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis (1944) – A war-time edition of an American classic by a Pulitzer Prize winning author. The gorgeous striped dust jacket makes this little marvel as handsome in presentation as it is in content. Arrowsmith tells the story of the career of Martin Arrowsmith, doctor and scientist from middle America who eventually discovers a virus attributed to the bubonic plague. When an ironic and disastrous event occurs, Martin must rethink his life, his career path and his dreams.
For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (1968 edition) – Ernest needs no introduction but the story might i you are unfamiliar…For Whom the Bell Tolls is the story of American Robert Jordan who fought, loved and died in the mountains of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. All man this one – and your guy will look extra cute reading it as well:)
The Rubyiat of A Freshman by H.C.Witwer (1921) – A very rare book of humorous fiction surrounding letters between a son away at college and his dad back home. Full of great Jazz Age references and funny situations, this book would be lovely for dads with college age kids or for recent graduates.
Gifts For Gals
Beach reads, escapist fiction, intriguing biographies and classic romances round out this collection for the ladies. Ms. Jeannie looks for books that not only make for great personal entertainment but also for interesting and thought-provoking conversation afterward. Impress your friends with all you’ve learned!
Jason by Justus Miles Forman (1909) Escape to early 1900’s Paris with this romance adventure/detective novel. Jason is the story of a disappearance of a rich young man in Paris and the search for him by two young suitors vying for his sister’s hand. It is a love story and a detective novel all in one written by one of the brightest young authors of the early 20th century. Read the tragic real-life story of the author here:
My Life With Jacqueline Kennedy by Mary Barelli Gallagher (1969) – Dive into the inner world of the couple from Camelot as experienced by Jacqueline Kennedy’s personal secretary. This book is hand-signed by the author which makes it unique and personable. A lovely gift for any fan of the Kennedy’s or for lovers of mid-century history.
The Collected Stories of Jean Stafford by Jean Stafford (1969) – A beautifully presented first edition volume of short stories by American author Jean Stafford. This book went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1970.
Good Luck by Elizabeth Werner (1895) – Another beauty on the bookshelf, this romance novel contains gorgeous marbled markings and a fun title. Know someone that could use a little good luck in their lives? Then this is the book for them!
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton ( 1922) – A vintage first edition about to celebrate its 100th birthday in just a few short years, The Glimpses of the Moon tells the story of Nick Lansing and his gal pal Susy Branch as they embark on a faux marriage determined to live the high life at the expense of their friends hospitality. Set during the Jazz Age of the early 1920s, Nick and Susy traipse around the world looking for love, life and excitement, only to discover that all their adventuring holds a few surprises for them as well. An interesting fun fact: Edith Wharton was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for her novel The Age of Innocence.
This is just a sampling of the types of books Ms. Jeannie offers in her shop. You’ll find a complete list of vintage and antique books available here. Find one that you love? Use coupon code READER for 15% off your purchase upon checkout.
In the Vintage Kitchen: Where History Comes To Eat 