Summer Stuns Before the Fall

Last night, long after John Mulaney's latest social commentary musical on SNL, I finished reading Jennifer Weiner's latest novel, That Summer.  If the title sounds familiar, then that's because Weiner's book before that was called Big Summer.  Although That Summer isn't its sequel, it does harbor an Easter egg.  

The book jacket doesn't say what it's really about, so maybe I shouldn't say either.  I will say that there are two strangers named Diana (although one goes by Daisy) who find out they share a disturbing bond.  What they decide to do about it will resonate with women everywhere.  

Here are two of my favorite quotes:

On Daisy.  Or rather, on what she thinks her daughter thinks of her:

"Worse, she suspected that Beatrice thought that cooking, cleaning, homemaking, all of what used to be called the domestic arts, were women's work.  A yoke that Daisy wore, of her own choosing, boundaries past which she did not stray; all of it part of a world that Beatrice and her generation had evolved beyond." (80)

On Diana.  Or rather, on what she thinks her coworkers think of her:

"She was sure her colleagues were engaging in some collective Baby Boom fantasy, where she was a bitchy, big-city ice queen who needed some salt-of-the-earth loving, maybe even a baby or three, to make her a woman again." (138)

Both women deal with female stereotypes that eat away at who they really are.  Just as both are victims of circumstances created by men.  Or, rather, by one man.  

To echo Michael Stipe, "Oh no, I've said too much.  I haven't said enough."

The end.

Katy Keene, Valentine Queen

Skirt: Delia's, Dolls Kill

Shoes: Jessica Simpson Collection, DSW

To the Swoon and Back Necklace

Bag: Katy Perry Collection

Sweater: BCX, Macy's

Shoes: Betsey Johnson, DSW

Regal Romance Necklace 

Just when you thought Valentine's Day was over, Cupid drops off Katy Keene.  I found this one-season-wonder of a cancelled Riverdale spinoff on HBO Max and was hooked.  Having started life as an Archie Comic, Katy Keene's got the goods on dark glamour.  The intrigue!  The romance!  The fashion!  It's a drama that hits upon all the best and worst parts of being young and fabulous and broke in New York City, where someone just may be out to get you.  Title character Katy Keene (Lucy Hale) works as a personal shopper for the imperious Gloria Grandbilt (Katherine LaNasa) at Lacy's, a kind of spoof on Macy's, only much more high end.  But by night, she's a fashion designer, creating incredible one-of-a-kind costumes for her bestie Jorge (Jonny Beauchamp) to wear in his drag show.  It girl extraordinaire Pepper (Julia Chan) and new roommate Josie (Ashleigh Murray) -- yes, of Josie and the Pussycats fame -- round out Katy's coterie.  And then there's her hunky boyfriend KO (Zane Holtz), who's been by her side since high school.  Despite being a boxer with his own big dreams, his top priority is always his girl.  Yet for Katy, settling down with KO starts to seem less like a fairy tale ending and more like a middle working class rut.  What's more, despite Katy's pluck and determination, trying to break into fashion is fraught with struggle and heartbreak.  But perhaps her most daunting obstacle of all is finding out her dead mother's secret.  

Okay, so that's all very riveting.  But why is Katy Keene the Valentine queen?  Because she wears her heart on her sleeve -- and on her skirt and shoulder.  The girl hearts hearts, just like her mother before her, a flair affair reflected in her over-the-top outfits.  Peter Pan-collared tops, capes, and other feminine garb in red and pink fill Katy's closet.  Her look is very iconic, very bold, very glam noir comic book, befitting a dazzling denizen of the Archie universe. Yet more importantly, like all the best fashion, it tells the world who she is.

That's why it's so, er, disheartening when Katy falls in with (and to be a bit of a spoiler, under) misogynistic designer Guy LaMontagne (Luke Cook).  Successful but insecure, he preys on his young female apprentices, stealing their sketches and telling them what to wear.  In Katy's case, this means no hearts because they remind him of his nemesis, Gucci.  Not wanting to risk her career, Katy complies, pivoting to striking but soulless black.  Although she still looks fab, we know that her light's gone out.   

The series ends with a hopeful yet classic cliffhanger.  But I wanted more.  I don't know why the CW canned such a great show, but it's not like I haven't been there before (Good Girls, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, At Home with Amy Sedaris, that other Lucy Hale show Life Sentence . . .).  TV isn't always built to last, much like a honeymoon or every Bath and Body Works scent you ever loved.  So that's why we need to appreciate it while it's around.  My sister likes to think of a single-season show as a really long movie.  And when it ends ambiguously -- as it always does -- she leans into the ending she wanted.  Which is a lovely way to watch TV.   

And to live.

So, Katy Keene, Valentine queen, I say that you and KO rode off into the sunset after you became a  fashion designer bigger and better than Guy and Gucci combined.

And also that Guy got herpes. 

Head of State, Heavy Pate: Hats and Unicorn Horns

Sweater: Mocloth

Bag: Amazon; Bows: The Tote Trove; Ring: Express;  Necklace and collage bracelet: Betsey Johnson, Macy's; Purple bracelet: Etsy

Hat: JCPenny

Pink Prism Necklace

Skirt: Trixxi, Kohl's

Bag: Candie's, Kohl's' Charm: Betsey Johnson for Trolls, Macy's

Top: Bar III, Macy's

Hat: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Stockings: Mixit, JCPenney

Pink Power Necklace

Shoes: Kelly & Katie, DSW

Hats off to Presidents' Day!  Even if I'm wearing a fedora and beanie instead of Washington's tri-cornered lid and Lincoln's top hat.  Of course, the most magical cranial accoutrement of all is the unicorn horn.  If only the leaders of our great nation had had one of those.  Imagine the presidential portraits.  Not to mention the jealous royals.  But I'm a ruler with a crown and a castle!  Shouldn't I get first dibs on anything sparkly?   

No doubt about it, a unicorn horn is impressive.

Luckily, I'm no politician.  Which means that the only person I need to impress is myself.  

So, come 2024, vote unicorn.  Because everyone deserves a fairy tale ending.  

And a chic, sharp way to skewer the haters.

Cake Talk: Bloom Where You're Slanted

It's exciting to read a new author.  I'm always thinking, who is this person, and what does she (sometimes he) have to say?  These questions and others unfurled as I delved into Louise Miller's The Late Bloomers' Club.  As a late bloomer myself, I couldn't wait to see just what the phrase meant to Ms. Miller and her heroine.  This is what I found:

Nothing ever happens in Guthrie, Vermont.  So when eccentric cake lady Peggy Johnson dies unexpectedly and leaves her farm to the Huckleberry sisters, it causes a stir.  And not just because the sisters are as different as Mozart and Miley Cyrus.  But because a developer wants to buy Peggy's land to build a small business-destroying superstore.  

Forty-two-year-old Nora has never left Guthrie and dutifully runs her parents' diner.  Thirty-five-year-old Kit has followed her artistic whims all over the world.  So when Kit blows back into town with her besotted boyfriend, there are fireworks.  Kit is fun, and I admire her free spiritedness -- that is, until she starts infringing on the freedoms of others.  Which is exactly what it seems like she's doing to Nora, the novel's anchor and narrator.  Still, there are two sides to every story, and the other side of this one is that Nora is a martyr (to give you an idea, she takes on Peggy's cake baking business as well as the search for her missing dog).  Miller is clever in setting up Kit as the "villain," forcing us to see her through Nora's eyes -- especially when Nora realizes that she's been wearing cloud-colored glasses that made her myopic.  Because maybe Kit has held Nora back -- but maybe Nora has held Nora back too.  The sisters' newfound inheritance forces them to take an honest look at each other and decide what's best for themselves and the town, all while untangling the growing mystery of Peggy's seemingly simple life.

And now it's quote time!  Here are some wise words from Kit's (sort of) Buddhist boyfriend Max:

' "We're all suffering.  I guess I just relate to people who are willing to share more of themselves.  A lot of pain in the world could be alleviated if we could all admit when we're having a hard time." ' (93)

You said it, Max.  And then, of course, there are some fashion snippets I love:

Nora describing a long-gone library volunteer: 

' "Don't you remember her?  She was really cool.  She had all of these interesting dresses, and she always wore red cowboy boots.  I've always wanted a pair." ' (174)

Nora describing Kit:

' "Short, curly red hair, dressed like Stevie Nicks and one of the Disney princesses started a fashion label together?" ' (177)

If such a brand existed, I'd be first in line.  But back to business:

No one in this book is who he or she seems.  And I don't mean that in a sinister, spy thriller kind of way, but in a we're-all-humans-just-doing-our-best kind of way that makes life's problems better, not worse.  That said, Miller gives us multifaceted, sympathetic characters in a beautiful, bucolic setting.  Also, as a bonus, this was the first time I heard the term "leaf peepers" used unironically (I'm looking at you, John Oliver).  Charming yet poignant and tinged with the no-nonsense spirit for which New England is famous, The Late Bloomers' Club doesn't offer easy answers.  But when it comes to the importance of taking a chance, it hits closer to home than anything I've read in a while.   

Corsage Dressage: Happy Valentine's Day

Topiary trees: Handmade by me for my wedding almost nine years ago :)

Shoes: B.A.I.T., Zulily

 

Dress: Lily Rose, Kohl's

Bag: Amazon

Garden Guest Star Necklace

Sweater: Sweater Project, Marshalls

Bow: SHEIN; Cake ring: Bead Passion, Etsy; Blue ring: Delia's; Yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Mint bangle: Decree, JCPenney; Shiny bangle: H&M

Dress: POPSUGAR, Kohl's

Perky Pink Bird Corsage Necklace

Sweater: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Choker and bangle: Simply Vera, Kohl's; Comb: Ella & Elly, Zulily; Necklace: Betsey Johnson, Macy's

Dress: Betsey Johnson, Zulily

Shoes: Penny Loves Kenny, Zulily

Bag: Modcloth; Barrette: The Tote Trove

Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Strawberry bag: Dolls Kill; Heart bag: T-Shirt & Jeans, Amazon

Dress: Three Pink Hearts, Kohl's

Razzle Dazzle Rose Corsage Necklace

Once upon a time, I used to make something I called corsage necklaces.  They were kitschy collages of flowers and other feminine things mounted on felt and strung up with pretty beads.  You know, kind of like the corsages that girls used to get from their dates.  Only mine were fake, so they could last long after the chaperones were caught playing tonsil hockey.  Anyway, I think that Valentine's Day is the perfect time to showcase these tokens of nostalgic romance.  The corsage/dressage rhyme is just a happy accident -- I know that the d-word means horse dancing (thanks, Comcast commercial!).  Which is kind of fitting, considering those ornate Kentucky Derby hats and winner's wreaths.

So go for the gold and go for the bold.  In fashion or crafting or whatever makes you whinny.

Or, better yet, just chillax and enjoy Valentine's Day!

My Book Club, My Boyfriend

They say that if you have a boyfriend, then you don't need a book club.  And that if you have a book club, then you don't need a boyfriend.  Okay, so no one says either of those things.  But I can see how someone might, given the therapeutic qualities of good books and men.  It makes me think of the Waldenbooks Valentine's ad that stole my heart back in the day: "Books don't care when you read other other books."  So titillating, yet so profound.  

Speaking of which, I recently read two books back to back, and neither one batted an eye.

First, there was Beth O'Leary's The Road Trip.  A dark rom com complicated by a codependent bromance, it's hilarious and heartbreaking, with an undercurrent of the absurd.  It's also unexpectedly layered, and as such, a ride you won't soon forget.

Then there was Leslie Meier's Valentine Candy Murder, a two-for-one special containing Valentine Murder and Chocolate Covered Murder in one festive pink package.  These whodunits are more conventional than The Road Trip -- if you consider crime conventional.  Which I do, at least within the confines of a cartoonish cozy.

The point is, it's important to read different genres at different times to get what you need.  Sometimes life calls for a romance.  Or a mystery.  Or a memoir by an arachnophobic zookeeper.  That's why, even if you have the best boyfriend this side of Bridgerton, you should join a book club.  I mean this, of course, metaphorically.  You know better than to think that I advocate socializing over escaping into a page turner solo.

Crazy or not, Thoreau was on to something.  

All in the Family: A Heart Day at Home

Even a quarantine queen like me breaks out for a Valentine's party.  Every year, my immediate family celebrates with festive food, decorations, and gifts for the kids.  This is the first year since the pandemic that we're doing it again, and I must say I'm excited.  

If you're a fan of The Goldbergs, then you may be thinking, hey, wait a minute, isn't that a little like the Schwartzes?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, then here's the skinny.  On this season's V-day episode, siblings Erica and Barry were horrified to find out that their significant others, Geoff and Joanne (who are also, in this sitcomiest of sitcoms, siblings) celebrate Valentine's Day with each other and their parents.  The notoriously non-mushy Goldberg kids couldn't believe that the Schwartzes liked each other enough to willingly spend a nonfamily holiday together.  I could relate -- with Geoff and Joanne, that is.  (Except for the part where they peck each other on the lips.  Sorry not sorry, Schwartzes, but that's just icky.)  Because it's nice to get together with your nearest and dearest and laugh, even if -- especially if -- the rest of the world is laughing at you.

Not that Erica and Barry stayed snarky for long.  In the space of thirty minutes (or more like twenty, with commercials), they reversed their initial affection rejection and learned to appreciate each other.  Was it weird that this epiphany dawned during a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride?  For sure.  Then again, anyone willing to endure the smell of an equine's backside is in it for the long haul.  Brother/sister, boyfriend/girlfriend, oldster/paid companion, whatevs.  

So, this Valentine's Day, I hope you get to hang with someone you love -- or, even better yet, someone you like.                         

And that you laugh so hard it hurts and burns the calories from all of that chocolate. 

The Head and the Heart: You're So Vein

Caramel Candy Barrette Brooch

Dress: Trixxi, Kohl's

Pretty Pastries Necklace

Strawberry clip: Delia's; Rainbow necklace: Ocean City, Cloud Nine; Yellow necklace: Sonoma, Kohl's; Bow barrette: Carole, JCPenney

Dress: POPSUGAR, Kohl's

Heart of Hearts Barrette Brooch

Top: Candie's, Kohl's

Oh, Deer Necklace

With Valentine's Day upon us, it seems appropriate to mention this: It's funny how pretty, perky, heart-shaped things look nothing like their namesake organs.  Not that you'd want them to and end up buying a blouse emblazoned with blood vessels or a valise sprouting ventricles.  Anyhoo, it makes a strange sort of sense that our idea of the heart's job is just as jumbled as our notion of its appearance.  We say things like, "You're thinking with your head instead of your heart," even though we know that all thoughts and feelings, however illogical, are brewed in our brains.  And that, despite the smug tone of the aforesaid saying, the decisions inspired by our emotions are sometimes the smartest.  

Who knows, maybe I was subconsciously thinking all this when I made these heart barrettes to wear on -- where else? -- your head.  There's something satisfying about reconciling the rational with the romantic by making a cute accessory to show off the noggin.  Specifically, my noggin (although rest assured that these barrettes aren't the ones in my shop; hygiene first, people.).  After all, there are few things in this world I heart in quite the same way as a selfie.     

And as any musician or blogger will tell you, there's more than one way to be vain.