I'm still not used to that pyramid. One day, perhaps.... but your photos are gorgeous! xoxo

That's one excellent wine!

Chanel....timeless elegance. All they can do really is "dress" it up. I love the camellias. xxoo

P.S. Santelli is making a spectacle of himself. He has gone off the deep end and, as happens to these crazies, gets to tour the airwaves talking about his craziness. NBC is treading a dangerous path....

The nicest thing that can be said about Jindal is that he is horribly muddled. The difference between him and the Pres is like night and day. He comes across as the GOP's token "young brown person" and he is parroting exactly what they want: contradictions and stupidity. (You cannot prove to the world that you don't care about your constituents and then think you can be elected to the White House... that is mind-boggling.) He has put his political ambitions above the needs of the people of Louisiana, proving that he is in the wrong job. I hope Louisiana throws him out. In any case, he will have to take the consequences of his actions.

The cartoon was offensive, and the excuses even more so. If it was about something else, then why did it mention the stimulus. On a cheerier note, Pres. Obama's visit was one big celebration in Ottawa. Our Prime Minister acquitted himself very well, even though he is a Tory. Haha!

Murakami has the courage of his convictions. I want to point out the part where he tells his Israeli audience that, like himself, they too are eggs, as some readers may miss it. So I don't have a problem with the Wall and the Egg part, because all too often it is true, at any give time, in some parts of the world.

I agree completely! I've been sickened by the level of so-called reporting for years now. It seems they just go for padding and burbling to fill airtime. It's exhausting, which is why I'm very very selective in what I listen to these days. They all need to grow up! The GOP remind me of the "dog in a manger". Sweet twins, I wish for them a much better world than the one they've stepped into! xoxo

I watched it live. He was superb. He showed some people that he is no fool (hooray!) and I totally adore him. What more can I say. A true leader. Yes, I could gush.... How can I not admire his intelligence, grasp of issues, engaging manner, and most of all, let me say it again, that he is no fool! Get it GOP????

Baraka! Good for you. I love this story. xxoo

So that's where the snow went! Here, it's the drip-drip-drip of melting ice as the snow says bye-bye -- for now! Enjoy your snow day. xxoo

I'd rather be at the Embarcadero than the Superbowl. (In any case, I prefer baseball!) xxoo

I was a huge Banana Republic fan (the original company), and had many of their items in my closet. I still have a khaki shirt and three bone bangles... Of course that was in the days when I was a travel correspondent. I shopped at their San Francisco store and the rest of the time through their wonderful catalogue (remember it?). Ahhh, some of the old days were good old days!

For me, it is precisely in getting to know people through their "personal opinions"!!! (I refer to the strange quotation in your post, from a reader). My eye went straight to that open book on the bottom shelf...what a treasure it must be! xxoo

And Happy year of the ox from Yonge & St. Clair. You can imagine Chinatown here... xxo

What stuck in my mind when I listened to this yesterday was when the Pres said it was also "for my daughters." I couldn't help thinking of "other politicans" with daughters (save, perhaps, chelsea c.) who did nothing..

Lovely, lovely! and inspired. :-)

I joined in the giveaway last year, and it was wonderful! This year I haven't been able to, but I'd love to throw my name in your hat!

Brilliant passage, Tara. Memory is indeed fragile and impermanent, which explains why history repeats itself. To those who say, "Why don't we ignore this or that and it will go away", I always answer, "Because if you do, you are destined to repeat it." (But then, no one listens to me!!! hehe!)

I'm 100% behind Vanessa's statement. You write... "objective, ethical reporting is too often abandoned for television ratings and/or placating conservative advertisers." This is the core of the problem. It started happening in magazines about 15 years ago, when the "advertorial" reared its ugly head. Editorial is now the slave of the advertising side. So, really, how can we believe anything under these cicrumstances. Vigilance!

David Plouffe is so gifted. I wanted to add that Plouffe is a very Quebec name; there's a famous novel titled Les Plouffe, which was also made into a film. I keep thinking David Plouffe must be of Quebec origin (and that makes me proud)! :-)

Freedom resides in us: It's invisible, it's a feeling that no one can take away from us, even if the door is locked and we don't have the key. Attitudes open those doors.... xxo

Thank you for saying, so very clearly, what I've been gritting my teeth about. The whining and winging of some people tell me they live in utter darkness; they don't want things to get better, it seems. For the first time in 8 years, there is hope, intelligence, compassion, humanity, and positive action called President Obama in the White House. From Day 1, he has shown signs of his mettle. anyone who doesn't want to give him a chance is a destroyer, a negative energy, that we do NOT want!

One word: BEAUTIFUL!

31 rue Cambon endangered? Oh, non! At least it should be preserved as a Musée Chanel! And I agree the white paper cutout dress is très original! xoxo