Here’s a tweet for history buffs. I keep looking at it to have a laugh. Click the image to go to the source and see the funny illustrations. I’m really upset that I’ve never visited the cat bakery before! I’ve also found a replacement for the many now-defunct “royal” Twitter accounts I followed in 2010….
History
Diana Heart Jewelry for a Royal Mother’s Day
So sweet! The name of Britain’s new royal princess has been revealed: Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. I’m all choked up about it. I vividly remember getting up early to watch young Diana Spencer get married to Prince Charles in 1981 and now I’ve seen Princess Di’s first granddaughter arrive. Speaking of arrivals, did you see little…
Jewel of the Month: Boleyn Necklace for Wolf Hall Fans
Are all of you Anne Boleyn/Tudor history fans watching Wolf Hall on Masterpiece on PBS? I saw the excellent theatrical adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s historical novel Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, in London last summer. The books and adaptations are about the rise of Thomas Cromwell, who rose from poverty to…
Recommended Reading From the Weekend Newspapers
Several newspaper articles this weekend struck a chord with me. In the New York Times magazine, David Amsden wrote about New Orleans-born John Cummings, a white 77-year-old “trial lawyer who has helped win more than $5 billion in class-action settlements and a real estate magnate whose holdings have multiplied his wealth many times over.” Cummings…
Throwback Thursday for Chinese New Year
I really need to get back to writing my history-inspired posts! Here’s a throwback one in honor of the Chinese New Year. One of my favorite badass royal ladies was Empress Wu, as she’s known now. When she ruled China in the 7th century, she used the name Emperor Shensheng (spelling may vary), making her…
Thoughts on Holocaust Memorial Day and Auschwitz
Today is the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and I’ve been thinking about a decorative-arts museum: the Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris. That’s not as strange as it might seem, because that museum has a tragic history that has been on my mind for months. I visited the museum in 2010. It’s…
Wendy Brandes Jewelry in the New York Post
If you’re in New York, run to the nearest newsstand and get the New York Post. Today’s edition includes the Post’s Alexa luxury supplement, and my Empress Wu dragon earrings are featured in Alexa! I’m in great company, sharing the page with Balmain, Valentino, Christian Louboutin, Erdem and Dolce & Gabbana, among others. Thanks, New…
Wanderlust 2014: Anne Boleyn and Eminem in London
MrB and I love London. We’ve gone there every year since 2008 to visit our many friends who live in the city or close to it. In particular, I like to meet up with gorgeous bloggers and drink Pimm’s. Here are my previous London posts. 2013: Pimm’s fest and a strange trench coat. 2012: Fish…
Introducing Purrkoy
Look who has joined my flat-faced animal family! This is Purrkoy, an Exotic Shorthair kitteh from breeder Lynn Cooke of Callyn Cattery. My older kitteh, FitzRoy (aka #thecatinthebowl), who joined us in 2012, has quite a few Instagram cat friends who were from Lynn, so that’s how we found her and Purrkoy. The name Purrkoy…
Lion Jewelry for Luxury-Loving Leos
The Leo period of the astrological calendar begins today. You really don’t have to be a Leo to wear my lion-themed jewelry — the pieces weren’t inspired by astrology — but if you ARE a Leo, they’re even more compelling, no? My Eleanor necklace was inspired by Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the most powerful…