Are You De-pressed?

After dealing with themes like swimming pools, bath-tubs, bedrooms, food and jewellery in movies, this guessing game introduces a new theme, which I’m so excited about: turntables/record players in movies. If you were born in the 1970s like me, you’ll surely remember the unique fascination these objects had. The rustling sound of the stylus on the vinyl is one of my first childhood memories: my father has always been a huge music aficionado and has been collecting vinyls for part of his life, until they were replaced by cds. I still remember him listening to a Deutsche Grammophon record (this German record label is his favourite ever) of Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij’s The Nutcracker and me loving that fantastic music. As a teenager, I started collecting vinyls, too; now I don’t own a record player but I want to get one, sooner or later, so I can play my records (and my father’s, hopefully) again.

I know this game is not easy at all, but my suggestion is to analyze each picture in all its details. Most of the frames are from movies set in the past and I think the style of the record player and the setting can tell you a lot.

If you want to ask me questions, I’ll answer promptly, otherwise you can check back next Monday for clues. On Tuesday evening I’ll publish solution and name of the winner. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Good luck everybody. xoxo ♥

The winner of this game is Alessandro, who was so good to guess 7 pictures right. Let’s face it: identifying the 2nd, 3rd and 9th frames was not easy at all, but he did it, so kudos to him! The second best are Beatrina, Camilla and Cinzia, who guessed 5 pictures right. On the podium there’s place for  all those who guessed two pictures right (Anna, Geakaren, Federico, Chiara and Caroline). Thanks everybody for taking part into the game. It’s great to see that you liked it ♥

“A Thing of Beauty Is a Joy For Ever”: An Ode to Penhaligon’s Endymion

There is not one,/ No, no, not one/ But thee.

Endymion (1818)  by John Keats

Have you ever experienced haunting sensory memories? There’s something (a special event or a peculiar period) which gets the mechanism started and there’s no way to stop it. I usually find that music and smells are perfect for this function. I’ve often spoken about the meaning that perfumes have for me – personal and subjective, as it should be. There’s no way to express exactly what feelings a perfume evokes; at the same time, I think it’s very hard to describe a perfume: besides the fragrance pyramid and the perfume notes (which are pretty objective), there’s a whole sensory world which can’t simply be put down in words.

Some weeks ago I had a very weird experience, which probably is even stranger than what happened with Chanel Coco Noir. I was exhausted after a long day at school and went to sleep early; for some reason, I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to fall asleep again. I hate lying in bed when I’m awake at night, so I got up and went to my bathroom. I don’t know why but I started smelling perfume vials from my Penhaligon’s scent library. The first perfume I happened to smell was Endymion. I unscrewed the tiny cap of the vial and a wave of memories and sensations carried me away.

The name of the perfume would have been enough to make me fall in love with it: the mythological figure of the shepherd Endymion gives the title to one of my favourite poems by John Keats. Critics have often seen it a “minor” composition by the English poet, but I firmly believe it has a unique fascination because it tells a romantic love story through an equally romantic and idyllic imagery. Endymion falls in love with Cynthia (the Moon) in his sleep; he goes on a fantastic journey in the underworld while sleeping, and will eventually reunite with his lover, who admits she can’t live without him. The union of heavenly and human is the central element of many myths (think of Venus and Adonis, or Zeus and Leda), but this is special thanks to its night setting. Events take place at night, a parallel world which reveals itself only when the sun goes down and the moon rises in the sky.

Many have been the artists who have found inspiration in this legend: not only Steve de Mercado (the creator of the Penhaligon’s perfume), but also manga writers [1] and painters. My favourite is Diana e Endimione by the Italian painter of the late-Baroque period Ubaldo Gandolfi: the dramatic composition and the night setting emphasize the spell that Zeus cast on the shepherd (under the Moon’s request), doomed to sleep forever so he can meet his lover in dreams. The Moon is sitting on clouds and her light reveals the sleeping boy; Cupid stands by her side, pointing Endymion out to the goddess.

Such a romantic painting is echoed in the cologne that Penhaligon’s launched in 2003: the dark blue label includes richly draped curtains and a crescent moon, a reference to the myth it’s inspired to. After smelling it during that sleepless night, I read many reviews which labelled it as a men’s perfume, but I knew they were wrong. I could totally see myself wearing it [2], and the day after I went to my favourite perfume shop to buy it.

I’m Just an Ex-Boogeyman

Yesterday evening I was thinking about the theme of this week’s guessing game when I read about Esther Williams’s death. She was 91, she had an amazing life and an extraordinary career, but I’ll miss her anyway. I remember my sister and I loved watching her beautiful movies in the long summer afternoons of our teenage years: her ability as a swimmer, her beauty and her grace were so sparkling that you couldn’t help but admire her. This sad event convinced me to devote this guessing game to one element which was never missing in Williams’s movies – a swimming pool. She danced and swam in majestic and huge swimming pools, while my selection of film frames includes different types of pools, but still. I hope you’ll appreciate this small token of gratitude to an actress who brought glamour and the love for swimming into my life.

I usually give some clues on Monday, but I want to give you one right now: most of the frames are from movies, but one is from a tv series. Remember that you can leave your guesses in the comments until Tuesday night; you can also ask me some help, so check back to read my suggestions. Enjoy the game and have a great week-end! xoxo ♥

This time the winner is Kit, who guessed 8 pictures right! Excellent result. The second best is Alessandro, who guessed 7 pictures right, followed by Cinzia and Manuela – both of them guessed 4 frames right. Thanks everybody for taking part into the game and see you next Friday with a new movie quiz.

 

Diary of a Nail Polish Addict: May 2013

The end of May always means something really special to me: the end of the school year is just around the corner. This year has been really hard for me; I won’t have much time to relax, though, because many school-related tasks are waiting for me until mid July, but the idea I won’t be spending two hours a day driving is a huge relief. The end of each month, blog-wise, means a new page in my diary of a nail polish addict is on.

Ready for my May manicures? Here they are.

The first shade I wore last month is an Essence nail polish, Miss Universe. I’m sure you know Essence is one of my favourite nail polish brands: I’ve praised it many, many times because its varnishes are cheap and have a very good quality. Miss Universe is a beautiful blue colour with teal reflects and dark blue/green glitters; it’s much more complex in person than in picture. It reminds me of another Essence shade – Date in the Moonlight – but that is actually darker and less glittery. I applied two coats and a top coat.

“Wanna Fight?”: Hands, Red and Motherhood in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives

I’m pretty obsessed with hands,
I think the essence of being violent starts from there.
If you cut off hands to a man
he is no more dangerous
and his violent instinct stops beating.
The hands are like an extension of his penis
and cut them it’s like a castration.

(Nicolas Winding Refn)

I’ve often asked myself what makes a movie a memorable one. I know my tastes and I love when I can feel there’s more in the story than what appears on the big screen. I also love contrasts and connections with previous films of the same director or references to other film-makers. In the light of these criteria, I guess it’s easy to understand why I’ve appreciated the latest work by Nicolas Winding Refn, Only God Forgives. A peculiar symbology and the obsessive presence of the colour red, along with a story of ultra-violence and an unsolved Oedipus complex, make it really special.

You Got Any Biscuits Over There?

This is not the first menagerie-themed quiz in the history of my Friday Guessing Game, but it’s been a while since I last devoted one to animals in movies, so it’s time for another one. Whether you’re animal lovers or not, I hope you’ll enjoy it ♥

As usual, I will post some clues on Monday. In the meantime, you can try to identify the frames and leave your guesses in the comments. On Tuesday I will close the comments, approve the ones you’d write during the week-end and see who the winner is. Good luck everybody!

Here is the solution of this guessing game. The winner is – again – Alessandro, who guessed 7 pictures right. The second best is Cinzia (5 pictures right), followed by Raffy and Beatrina, who guessed 4 frames right. Manuela guessed only one picture right, but I thank her very much for taking part into the game. Stay tuned for next Friday’s movie quiz

amfAR Cinema Against AIDS 2013 Benefit

While watching the pictures from a red carpet, have you ever had the feeling you’re witnessing the result of a time warp? A time warp leading to a parallel world where celebrities are always the same, dressed the same, year after year, red carpet after red carpet, endlessly showing their trademark style. For me this would be the equivalent of a nightmare, but this was the sensation I had when I started selecting the outfits I liked best from the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala. The event took place on May 23rd, 2013, at the exclusive Hotel du Cap: it included a fashion show – the Ultimate Gold Collection – curated by Carine Roitfeld, a dinner and an auction. Among the guests, Sharon Stone in mandatory Roberto Cavalli dress, a plethora of top models and many other celebrities, victims of themselves and of the time warp which clearly occurred in Cannes yesterday.

It was quite hard to write my best-dressed list down, not because I had too many to choose from but quite the contrary. In the end I opted for those who were brave enough to step out of the trite sequined dress canon. On top of my list there’s Giovanna Battaglia, who dazzled on the red carpet channelling her inner Elizabeth Taylor.

How awesome is this hot pink caftan with silver and gold embroideries and beaded decorations? This is something I would definitely wear myself; I would look not as statuesque as Giovanna, though I love everything about this outfit – the nod to Northern Africa traditions, the reference to Taylor and the jet set members who loved wearing traditional garments, the flawless accessorizing.  Giovanna has often been in my best-dressed list at amfAR galas thanks to her original choices, but this time she really outdid herself.