Forever Connected To Someone - Quantum Entangled

***NOTE***
This is a follow-up to my last post, Decrypting The Universe. And stick with me here, this gets deep! But a fascinating read that will surely have you thinking and looking at your life much differently from this day forward.

True story!

A young waiter (Kevin) saves the life of a woman (Penny) who is choking to death. Oddly enough, 7 years early, the same woman had saved the waiter’s life when he was just a boy.

A bizarre twist of fate or can such instances be logically explained? Was it more than coincidence? Was it part of The Universe’s grand design? Do random events happen for a reason? Or can the mystery be explained by science?

Before you say Kevin and Penny were destine to collide, it was "God’s will," fate, or it was good karma coming back around, take this perspective into consideration...

Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal, Professor of Statistics from the University of Toronto, doesn’t believe that these amazing coincidences are really that remarkable. He states that while lots of coincidence stories can be interesting and fun to retell, you have to think about the numbers. And when you do, you realize that even really surprising sounding things are just going to happen by chance every now and then. To demonstrate how mathematics can demystify seemingly improbable events, Dr. Rosenthal performs a simple experiment on randomness and probability. He randomly selects 40 people off the street and asks them to write their birthday down on a piece of paper. He believes that out of 40 people, at least 2 of them would share the exact same birthday.

You would think it would be rather rare that 2 people will share the same birthday, but actually there is an 89% chance that it will happen. And the reason is there are 780 pairs you can make out of a group of 40 people. (I’ll save you the long and nerdy formula.) And of course in Dr. Rosenthal’s experiment, the math proves true. 2 of the 40 people did share the same birthday.

What does all of this have to do with Kevin and Penny or with your life in general? Well, if you just take a specific pair of people, the chances of A saving B’s life and B saving A’s life is about 1 in 40 billion billion! It’s incredibly unlikely. But once you factor in the fact that there are so many different pairs of people out there who are trained in CPR, then there is about a 1/3 chance that at some point in your lifetime there will be some pair of people living in some local area that will save each other’s lives.

So can mathematics explain everything? Some believe in a much more mysterious theory. Dr. Gary Schwartz, Professor of Psychology from the University of Arizona, believes that random events are not random at all, but caused by synchronicity. Coincidence means something happens by chance. Synchronicity means something happens beyond chance. Synchronicity is a powerful, invisible, organizing force that orchestrates our lives - you may refer it simply as The Universe.

To understand how The Universe works, visualize iron filings. If you sprinkle them on a piece of paper, they just land haphazardly. But if you place a magnet under the piece of paper, a structure will emerge. And that structure reflects the underlying fields that are interconnecting the events. Were Kevin and Penny drawn together by an underlying force they weren’t aware of? And more importantly, if synchronicity (AKA, The Universe) is an invisible force, where is it coming from? Some type of super intelligence? That G-word?

Author and physics lecturer, Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, has a scientific explanation that has nothing to do with the existence of any God. He believes things can become quantum entangled. That means that 2 people can become linked in such a way that anything that happens to one of them is instantaneously communicated to the other, regardless of distance. That is quantum entanglement. And his theory on how The Universe works.

In short, two people that interact and then separate remain quantum entangled until they met in the future.

Whether you believe in the scientific explanations of The Universe, a super intelligence beyond our comprehension that dictates our lives, or a little of both, you have to admit it's weird. Personally, I believe that people come into our lives for a reason. And a part of them never leaves you. Take comfort in that, despite distance or the passing of time. The chances of bumping into them again are much greater than you once believed.

Scientific Examination of Art: Modern Techniques in Conservation and Analysis

There seems to be a plethora of book announcements recently apropos to archaeometry. 

Here is an online book from the National Academy of Sciences, from 2005, 252 pages. The description:

In March 2003, the National Academy of Sciences Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia presented the Scientific Examination of Art: Modern Techniques in Conservation and Analysis at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, DC. Featuring senior investigators of specific methods and materials, the papers in this book examine the application of scientific methods to the study and conservation of art and cultural properties.

The Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences address scientific topics of broad and current interest, cutting across the boundaries of traditional disciplines and attracting up to 250 leading researchers in the field. These colloquia are made possible by a generous gift from Mrs. Jill Sackler, in memory of her husband, Arthur M. Sackler.

For more information about the Sackler Colloquia, visit www.nasonline.org/sackler

CONTENTS

THE STATE OF THE FIELD
		Overview John Winter		3
		Material Innovation and Artistic Invention: New Materials and New Colors in Renaissance Venetian Paintings Barbara H. Berrie and Louisa C. Matthew		12
		The Scientific Examination of Works of Art on Paper Paul M. Whitmore		27
		Changing Approaches in Art Conservation: 1925 to the Present Joyce Hill Stoner		40
		An Overview of Current Scientific Research on Stone Sculpture Richard Newman		58
		Biodeterioration of Stone Thomas D. Perry IV, Christopher J. McNamara, and Ralph Mitchell		72

TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS Analytical Capabilities of Infrared Reflectography: An Art Historian’s Perspective Molly Faries 87 Color-Accurate Image Archives Using Spectral Imaging Roy S. Berns 105 Multi-Spectral Imaging of Paintings in the Infrared to Detect and Map Blue Pigments John K. Delaney, Elizabeth Walmsley, Barbara H. Berrie, and Colin F. Fletcher 120 Modern Paints Tom Learner 137 Material and Method in Modern Art: A Collaborative Challenge Carol Mancusi-Ungaro 152 Raman Microscopy in the Identification of Pigments on Manuscripts and Other Artwork Robin J. H. Clark 162 Paint Media Analysis Michael R. Schilling 186 A Review of Some Recent Research on Early Chinese Jades Janet G. Douglas 206

Ancient Earthquakes book

This post qualifies for both my blogs, socarchsci.blogspot.com on archaeometry, and my other one, shakingearth.blogspot.com on earthquakes.

The Geological Society of America has come out with a volume on Ancient Earthquakes, edited by Manuel Sintubin, Iain S. Stewart, Tina M. Niemi, and Erhan Altunel, 2010, 280 p., $85.

Ancient earthquakes are pre-instrumental earthquakes that can only be identified through indirect evidence in the archaeological (archaeoseismology) and geological (palaeoseismology) record. Special Paper 471 includes a selection of cases convincingly illustrating the different ways the archaeological record is used in earthquake studies. The first series of papers focuses on the relationship between human prehistory and tectonically active environments, and on the wide range of societal responses to historically known earthquakes. The bulk of papers concerns archaeoseismology, showing the diversity of approaches, the wide range of disciplines involved, and its potential to contribute to a better understanding of earthquake history. Ancient Earthquakes will be of interest to the broad community of earth scientists, seismologists, historians, and archaeologists active in and around archaeological sites in the many regions around the world threatened by seismic hazards. This Special Paper frames in the International Geoscience Programme IGCP 567 “Earthquake Archaeology: Archaeoseismology along the Alpine-Himalayan Seismic Zone.”

'Twas the Day Before Christmas

Jean says:
On December 24th, Valerie and I set out in search of a little Christmas spirit. We didn't need to shop; we just wanted to get out in the city, mingle with fellow New Yorkers and enjoy the crisp, dry, cold weather.
So, naturally, we headed to the ground zero of holiday cheer, the mecca of the large Norway spruce -- Rockefeller Center (of course)! Although the crowds were shoulder-to-shoulder (think Times Square at New Year's eve, minus the booze and funny hats), everyone was in a cheery mood. In no time at all, we got into the spirit, so to speak. I'm in the photo on the left and on the right is Valerie at the foot of the tree, her revelry in full display! (Isn't it a shame that she's so shy and self-conscious?)

The tree looks most impressive at night when all you can see are the twinkling colored lights. By day, at the top of the granite walls surrouncing the rink, it stands guard over all of the skaters, tourists, gawkers, and buskers. Shiny gold and silver lamé flags (which, in a flurry of my fashion A-D-D, reminded me of the banners outside Norma Kamali's East 56th Street store!) adorn the tall poles surrounding the rink.

At the western end of the rink, farthest from Fifth Avenue is Paul Manship's wonderful 1933 golden statue of Prometheus, one of the most recognizable scuptures in NYC. In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a member of the earliest race of gods known as Titans. The god Zeus was going to destroy humanity by depriving the earth of fire. Prometheus, who had fashioned people from clay (becoming the first sculptor), saved mankind AND womankind by teaching us how to make and use fire. (Click on the photo to see the wonderfully carved details on the zodiac ring encircling his reclining figure and the fire he is carrying fire in his right hand.)

Intrepid tourists and locals alike took to the ice in droves, under the watchful eyes of thousands of spectators. As you can see from the photos, the audience jammed the edges of the walls and cascaded down the steps to get as close a view as possible. The ice was taking quite a pounding from all the blades of those skaters. (Anybody seen the Zamboni?) At one point, it looked as if they were skating through snow.

Although I hate their logo-filled t-shirts, I have to admit that I love the facade of Hollister's Fifth Avenue headquarters. It features a live video feed from the Pacific Ocean of waves rolling across a wall of screens covering the entire front of the building and reflecting on the water in a shallow infinity pool at the base of the wall. Small white lettering spells out "Huntington Beach" and "Surf City, USA LIVE" over my right shoulder. (Again, click on the photo for a close-up.)












Jean says: Astute readers will notice that I am carrying a small shopping bag. I did buy something - an irresistible Japanese rabbit-shaped box with five little rabbit-shaped citrus cakes inside - at Minamoto Kitchoan on the promenade leading to Fifth Avenue. (Jodi Head and I feasted on them in her living room in the glow of her faux wood-burning fireplace later that same evening.) Valerie says: We both found the bunnies irresistible. (Quite a few other things were very hard to resist, as well.) 2011 is the year of the rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac. And the Japanese rabbit in the moon pounds rice to make rice cakes, and rice cakes are a traditional new year's treat, so the rabbit design is a perfect way to celebrate the new year. In one of the photos above, you can see I added a cotton tail to my bunny. I always keep a few cotton tails on hand. You never know when you might need one.

Valerie says: I also bought this box (left and below) with the image of Otafuku on it. Her image is not only on the protective wrapper of the individual sweets, it's on the sweet itself. I've never been crazy about the flavor of Japanese sweets (most are made of azuki beans), but for presentation,
the Japanese win hands down almost every time, and flavor becomes secondary. No wonder there are three separate books on the art of traditional Japanese packaging. (A first edition of the first of these three books, How to Wrap Five Eggs, now sells for over $400!)


Valerie and I stopped in at the Armani store on Fifth Avenue at 56th Street, for a libation in its top floor cafe. On our way through the store, we checked out some pretty fabulous faux fur winter coats on sale and Giorgio's Spring 2011 women's collection. I fell in love with (from afar) a lightweight, stretchy black and white striped, fringed scarf. After drooling over it, I continued on with my partner in crime to the top floor cafe. Once the beautiful blond Italian(?) waitress informed us that the mango bellinis used puree instead of juice, we were hooked. (BUT, says Valerie, they still didn't hold a candle to the fabled frozen mango margaritas so rashly removed from Tabla's menu.) Over cocktails, we planned out this week's and next week's blog entries and fantasized about putting up a video of our own on the Oprah Winfrey Network.Coffee lovers, take note. The cafe also has great cappuccinos. Mine was delivered by a handsome waiter who said something like: "This is not just any cappuccino. This is a drink created by a handsome Columbian using the finest Italian coffee." It lived up to its reputation. The foam was thick and creamy, and the espresso was divine!



Here's Valerie atop the white undulating stairway at Armani on Fifth Avenue, her black, white and red outfit in stark relief against the walls. When we visited last year, we were prohibited from taking photos of the stairway. Obviously, with the passage of time has come relaxation of that silly rule. Valerie says: it's almost distressing that they've toned down their vigilance. We thought we were getting away with taking surreptitious photos until we saw others taking photos bold as brass. Where's the fun in that, I ask you.

Jean, coming and going, and the fabulous staircase, which seems to ache for a Fred and

Ginger - or the Nicholas Brothers - to add the finishing touch.







Check out the video below to see what the Nicholas Brothers can do with a staircase. (The still is pixilated, but the video is crisp.) The peerless Cab Calloway makes a brief appearance at the very beginning of the clip. Movies at this time had a love affair going with shadows. Some fabulous shadows in this clip.








Valerie says: All the employees at Giorgio Armani are preternaturally gorgeous, as if they just stepped out of a photo shoot. We were stopped by one such, whose name sounded like it should be pronounced Marjean (MARzhon), who said he wanted to put us on his blog but didn't have his camera with him. So we posed with him and used our own camera. We can't show you that photo, in case he contacts us for it. And we can't show you the picture of his Glamazon partner in crime, whose name I think was Vera, for the same reason. But here's a picture he took of us. Proof positive that it's now OK to take photos in the store.


On our way home, we passed by St. Peter's Lutheran Church at the Citicorp Center, where mass was under way. The modernist architecture is very interesting, with lots of clear glass, so we took this flash-free picture of worshippers holding candles provided for the service. Carolers in red and white robes, unseen at the left, were singing Gloria (no, smart alecs, not the Patti Smith version), which sounded lovely every time someone opened the nearby door.




Jean is channeling her Nightmare Before Christmas look and is wearing a Maria D. DelGreco hat with vintage Deco bakelite pin, eyeglasses from Fabulous Fanny's, Comme des Garcons jacket, Marithé et François Girbaud coat, Zara drop-crotch riding pants, black patent high-top Doc Martins, black and white dotted Indian wool reversible scarf and Marmot gloves.

Valerie is wearing a red wool hat by Parkhurst, sterling silver hat pin by Mladek, black felt coat with white circles by Tiiti Tolonen, vintage red plastic clip on earrings, red and pink wool sea anenome scarf by Katie Mawson, nubby gray wool shirt by Jill Anderson, red wood bangle from Japan, unnamed red leather gloves made in Italy (no ring, because then I couldn't have worn the gloves, and it was COLD), black pants by Jones New York, and red leather boots by Frye.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

On a momentary serious note:
Jean says: I met Steve and his little pit bull Genocyde sitting on the sidewalk outside PetCo on Union Square about a week ago. She was very sweet and well behaved had obviously recently given birth. When I asked if I could get his dog some food and Steve nodded, the three of us went into the store and headed for the dog food section. He was actually quite knowledgeable about the nutritional content of the various dry foods, examining the bags, looking for a brand with high protein. After he made his selection, we proceeded to the line for the cash registers. He was very proud of the coat he'd made for her. It was still a work in progress. His own sweatshirt had a number of patches that appeared to be from old punk rock t-shirts sewn on caveman style with big visible stitches. With his tattoos that look like little flames just above his eyebrows and his dreadlocks, he looked like a tough cookie, but was extremely polite. (I was half expecting him to call me ma'am.) While Steve signed up for a PetCo discount card, I paid for the bag of food and purchased a gift card, for Genocyde's next bag when this one ran out.
This little dog just stole my heart. When I asked how she acquired such a tough-as-nails name, Steve said she'd picked it herself. She'd been a rescue and when he got her, he ran a number of names by her and she really responded when he got to "Genocyde". In response to my not so subtle quiz, he said she had three puppies which were at the place where he and friends were squatting. The puppies weren't eating solid food yet. He was taking Genocyde to a vet for an antibiotic for her cough, so I gave him a Metrocard with a few rides left on it along with my IF card with my email address. Steve said he checks his email about once a week, so I sent him copies of the photos. I'm dying for word on Genocyde and her puppies, so Steve, if you see this or get my email, please let me know.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday. Here are Christmas wishes from Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, doing a fabulous doowop cartoon version of White Christmas. Cartoons by Joshua Held.

For those of you with old computers, if the above hyperlink doesn't work, paste this link into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooc5eJc5SHA&feature=related

And one last view of the tree and the promenade, seen from a passing bus on Fifth Avenue.

Archaeological science in the Israel Journal of Earth Sciences

This being Christmas (although not part of my particular religious persuasion), I thought I would post something about archaeological science in the modern day country where some of the events pertaining to that holiday supposedly took place.

Israel Journal of Earth Sciences
Volume 56, Number 2 - 4 / 2007

Special Issue: Archaeological Science in Israel

Guest Editor(s): Elisabetta Boaretto, Ruth Shahack-Gross, Sariel Shalev, Steve Weiner, Ehud Weiss

Foreword by the Guest Editors; pp. i – ii; Elisabetta Boaretto, Ruth Shahack-Gross, Sariel Shalev, Steve Weiner, Ehud Weiss.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.i

Archaeology, archaeological science, and integrative archaeology ; pp. 57 – 61; Steve Weiner.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.57

Micromorphology of sediments: Deciphering archaeological context; pp. 63 – 71; Panagiotis Karkanas and Paul Goldberg.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.63

Approaches to understanding formation of archaeological sites in Israel: Materials and processes; pp. 73 – 86; Ruth Shahack-Gross.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.73

Reading the field: Geoarchaeological codes in the Israeli landscape; pp. 87 – 106.  Oren Ackermann.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.87

Assessing Paleolithic pyrotechnology and associated hominin behavior in Israel; pp. 107 – 121; Francesco Berna and Paul Goldberg.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.107

Four decades of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and its contribution to the archaeology of the ancient land of Israel; pp. 123 – 132; Joseph Yellin and Aren M. Maeir.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.123

A brief outline summary of nonferrous archaeometallurgy in Israel; pp. 133 – 138; Sariel Shalev.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.133

Wood remains from archaeological excavations: A review with a Near Eastern perspective; pp. 139 – 162; Simcha Lev-Yadun.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.139

Plant remains as a tool for reconstruction of the past environment, economy, and society: Archaeobotany in Israel; pp. 163 – 173; Ehud Weiss and Mordechai E. Kislev.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.163

Fire in prehistory: An experimental approach to combustion processes and phytolith remains; pp. 175 – 189; Rosa María Albert and Dan Cabanes.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.175

Archaeomalacological research in Israel: The current state of research; pp. 191 – 206; Daniella E. Bar-Yosef Mayer.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.191

Determining the chronology of an archaeological site using radiocarbon: Minimizing uncertainty;  pp. 207 – 216; Elisabetta Boaretto.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.207

Molecular archaeology: People, animals, and plants of the Holy Land; pp. 217 – 229; Marina Faerman, Gila Kahila Bar-Gal, Israel Hershkovitz, Mark Spigelman, Charles L. Greenblatt.  DOI: 10.1560/IJES.56.2-4.217

               

 

Daft Punk- Electroma

The pair from the group Daft Punk created a movie called Electroma in 2007. The plot revolves around how two robots want to become human in a society of robots. Its an interesting artistic type of movie where in the beginning the duo are driving around down in a 1987 Ferrari with California plates marked HUMAN.

I came across this posting off the Google Video website. Enjoy

Also, from what i have read the music featured in this movie was not by the band Daft Punk. But this movie was directed and stared the members of Daft Punk: Peter Hurteau and Michael Reich.

Happy Holidays...

image found on nasa.gov website

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to take the time to wish you all a very Happy Holiday time of year.

May your Holiday Time be filled with Joy, Love & Happiness.

May you be surrounded by the people you Love.....Mirko

Amazing Talent...

Its Christmas eve and i'm sitting at home jumping around YouTube while watching out for Santa on Norda's Santa watch. I suddenly come across this amazing video someone created i wanted to blog about. A poster named Volpin put up a video titled "How to make a Daft Punk helmet in 17 months". He has had 1,613,351 viewers for this video alone.

In the video he goes from start to finish in various clips of one of the most amazing special effects helmets i have ever seen done at home. He creates an amazing copy of the Daft Punk music group Gold Helmet with some fantastic various lights integrated into the design. If you watch one incredible video, check this one out and see for yourself a very incredibly talented person.

He also created another video showing a "replica of a Portal gun from Valve's 2007 release of the same name" that he created for the "2010 Child's Play Charity" in Seattle on December 7th, 2010. Check this video out too..

I hope you enjoy both of these videos. This artist has an amazing talent and i'm glad he decided to share some of his work with us. Thank you for posting on YouTube.

Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2010

Archaeology Magazine has compiled the top 10 archaeological discoveries of 2010. As you might expect, most of them are fascinating archaeological sites from around the world. However, two discoveries are more technical: the technique of non-destructive carbon-dating, developed by Marvin Rowe and colleagues at Texas A&M. Additionally, scientists in Germany were commended for decoding the Neanderthal genome. Congratulations to both groups, and looking forward to more fantastic analytical methodologies in 2011 and beyond!

Decrypting The Universe

I used to look for "signs from above" to decide the right choice for me to make. I used to wait for "perfect moments" to magically appear before I made my move. I used to wish on a star, a birthday candle, and on a greasy turkey bone break to make my wildest dreams come true. I used to find a penny and pick it up for good luck. I used to believe a fortune cookie could foresee the life ahead of me. I thought a daily horoscope already had the mood for my day set and there was nothing I could do to change it. I trusted the weatherman to accurately predict sun or rain. I had faith that a Magic 8 Ball held all the answers to my toughest questions.

And finally, I believed praying to a God I didn’t quite believe in would steer me in the right direction when I read the signs from above wrong. When I let the perfect moment pass. When I lost the turkey bone break. When the penny was stuck to the sidewalk with gum. When the fortune cookie crumbled. When the daily horoscope section was missing from the paper. When the weather man had his signals crossed. And when the Magic 8 Ball just wasn’t up to the task.

Ok, so maybe I wasn’t THAT naive or superstitious, but close. I still catch myself doing stupid shit though. Like hitting shuffle on my iPod, then convincing myself that the next song that randomly plays will be the song that describes EXACTLY how some girl truly feels about me or how I SHOULD feel about them. (Yes, I'm secretly a 12-year-old girl trapped in a grown man's body.) Last time I did this, "Edge Of Desire" by John Mayer began to play. Out of 3,000 songs it picked that! Seriously? I nearly threw my iPod out the car window in a fit of hurt and anger! Then I decided that would be an expensive hissy fit to take and hit "next" instead. Jay-Z’s "On To The Next One" began to play. Fitting.

Fitting in the sense that the song isn’t about moving on in terms of women or love. The song is about Cristal, Rovers, and pricey sneakers. And that’s precisely my point! It’s fitting because it didn’t fit - at all! Get ready for the reality check. There are no magical answers in life or hidden meanings in song lyrics that need decoding. There are no signs to follow. No signals that flash. And there’s no bellowing voice from the sky...at least none that I have ever heard. There’s just you. You’re in control. I know, I know. It’s a hard concept to grasp. I struggled with it too. But it’s true!

Of course old habits die hard. So purely for shits and giggles, I signed up for a daily e-mail that many of my friends were already subscribed to. It’s called "Notes From The Universe" from TUT - Totally Unique Thoughts. The notes are designed to remind you that you have, indeed, been given dominion over all things. It's like The Universe is whispering in your ear hole, give or take the spine tingle that can accompany it. A little virtual voice that gives you a gut check by punching you in the stomach, then lovingly holds your hair back while you vomit and offers a hug after you wipe your disgusting self clean. It’s exactly the kind of self-love and mental cleansing I need!

Day 1 - Notes From The Universe

Tell me, David, if you were to walk out of your home tomorrow morning, gaze upward into the heavens and see me there, in all my splendor, pacing, pining, and worrying; hoping, wishing, and yearning; and questioning whether or not my boldest dreams would ever come true, would you or would you not, wonder if I had gone stark raving mad?

Well then...?

Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!

Training your mind is what it all boils down to. All of it. All things. Everything.

Hearty punch to the stomach. Little bit of vomit. Big hug.

Motorola presents Tablet Evolution

As we come closer to the new year many of us are getting ready for Christmas time and welcoming in the New Years when the clock strikes twelve midnight on December 31, 2010. But another thing is also starting to show its face too, CES (Consumer Electronic Show) 2011, were all the amazing company's show us all the new cool devices that might be ours one day soon.

Motorola has come out with an amazing animation video looking at the various tablets we have all seen throughout the ages. Showing us the:

Egyptian Hieroglyphics Tablet : 3200 BC
Good graphics, but weight makes for difficult portability

Tablets of Stone: The Ten Commandments: 1440 - 1500 B.C.
Excellent durability, but zero flexibility (can't edit)

Rosetta Stone: 196 B.C.
Multi-lingual support, but low-resolution screen

Mayan Engraved Tablet: 500 A.D.
Successful Latin American distribution, but rumored 2012 self-destruct feature

GRiDPad: 1989 A.D.
Launched as inventory tool, but 20 MB hard drive limits inventory to just 12 items.

iPad: 2010 A.D.
It's like a giant iPhone, but..It's like a giant iPhone.

Galaxy Tab: 2010 A.D.
Android OS, but Android OS..for a phone

Then it pans and zooms to a covered Tablet on a pedistal with a bumble bee zooming by. Over to a close up of a Red Motorola Logo as the bee zooms by and it says "CES 2011".

The video is actually an awesome piece of animation. It is interesting and humorous. Although i don't agree with their iPad Jab. They are entitled to their opinions..

If you haven't seen the video check the embedded video up above and enjoy...

So i can't help but wonder? hmm poking fun at Android, will it be a Chrome OS or possible Windows 7 on a tablet. Since Microsoft is rumored to be taking on the iPad at CES with re-introducing windows 7 tablets....enjoy

ISA 2012 in Belgium

The improved ISA web site is already lists the next International Symposium on Archaeometry in Belgium in 2012. Put it on your calendar.

What will be the venue of the next American ISA for 2014?

The Ghost of Christmas Presents

SPECIAL IDIOSYNCRATIC BULLETIN!

We interrupt this blog temporarily to tell you there are lots of fabulous pictures of us taken by Ari Seth Cohen on view on his blog, Advanced Style. Fabulous videos, too. Do have a look. We're so delighted that we're getting another fifteen minutes of fame, and that Ari is such an able activist in the cause of growing old with spice.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled blog, brought to you by Bueller.

Jean says: When Valerie first proposed writing about favorite past Christmas presents, I confess I was stymied. Then, while watching the Wizard of Oz on Saturdy evening, (which always makes me nostalgic), I started to delve into my own memories of Christmas past. Here's a listing of my favorites, starting in 1953:

When I was 3, my parents bought me and my older brother John a kitten and a puppy that look a lot like the ones in these photos. We were thrilled. Both were females and were adorably cuddly. We named the black and white part spitz puppy Jonesy and the tiny black and grey tabby Clancy. Although my brother and I fought like cats and dogs, our pets got along beautifully. Clancy slept on my bed and kept me company and Jonesy slept on the rug next to my brother's bed. Clancy even let me dress her in doll clothes and push her around in my baby buggy. Jonesy died at 16 after a short bout with kidney disease. Clancy lived to be 24! I remember when I went away to college, my mother told me to be sure to say goodbye to her because one of the times I came home, she probably wouldn't be there. While I was at school, Clancy figured out what side her bread was buttered on and became my mother's BFF. That cat had the last laugh. She lived a long and healthy life. I finished college and moved to New York City before she passed on.














On Christmas Day 2008, Jodi Head (the East Village rock star guitar strap designer) gave me a gift certificate to one of our favorite neighborhood boutiques, Enz. Enz carries an amazing array of reproductions of vintage 1950s dinner doll dresses, biker chick leopard print sweaters, cocktail hats, gloves and jewelry. I redeemed my gift certificate in exchange for the fabulous black patent leather Lounge Fly purse. It has been surgically attached to my wrist ever since.














Embossed with skulls and flying hearts, it holds a ton of stuff. I absolutely love it. I take it everywhere. It was prominently featured in last year's posting "Old Bags' Bags". Here's Bueller the ferret lounging in the Lounge Fly.

About 10 years ago, Judy B., my boss st the time, gave me this fabulous black and white striped scarf labeled Nuno for MOMA from the Museum of Modern Art. I love its weight and drape and graphic impact. Here I've paired it with tons of black and butter white bakelite bracelets and rings, a Maria D. Del Greco hat with deco bakelite pin, Brigitte harem pants, Revue glasses from Fabulous Fanny's and Trippen "geta" booties.

I wore the Nuno scarf this evening to artist Katherine Crone's holiday party. Photographer and technophile John Lamparski took my photo and then plugged in a little rectangular accessory to his camera called a Polaroid Zink. It produced this little 2" x 3" instant photo print that has a peel-off adhesive backing. So, now I could apply my mug to my mug, so to speak. (Valerie says: Due to our technical inexpertise, John's photo looks a little washed out, but in fact it's a great picture. If we had more time to spend photoshopping our pix [heck, if we just KNEW more about Photoshop], you'd get a better sense of it. Of course, if we were better at Photoshop, we'd look more like Cindy Crawford and Christie Brinkley.)

(Back to Jean:) Technological changes continue to amaze me. Earlier today, Ari Seth Cohen interviewed me and Valerie for his Advanced Style blog on Flip video. It was the first time I'd seen a Flip outside of the TV commercials. Verrrryyy cool. Stay tuned for more about that interview in a future posting. Or, just look for us on Advanced Style!

In 1982, my girlfriend Kim and I went to Los Angeles for her sister's wedding. I think it was in the early fall. While we were there, we visited our friends Greg and Paula, who had moved back to LA from Soho the year before. Greg took our picture sitting on a bench at a picnic table in their yard. Imagine my surprise to receive a package that Christmas with an LA postmark. When I ripped it open, I discovered this fabulous framed portrait of moi that Greg had done from the photograph. That's Kim's red sweater in the right of the painting. Greg also sent Kim a portrait of her. She's now married and living in Santa Fe. I'd love to see her again and to put the two pictures side by side someday.

A true hoarder, nearly 30 years later, I still have the earrings and the glasses! I used to wear shades day and night. The frames are Sanford Hutton by Colors in Optics. I had a matching pair in white that I wore to my wedding reception. Alas (or thank goodness), my hair is no longer dark and permed with midnight blue streaks!

If I were rich, I'd treat myself for Christmas to a painting by The Me Noboby Knows, an artist who sells on Spring Street in Soho. Although he always hides his face from the camera, his color-saturated paintings speak for themselves. They are stylish, humorous, and thought-provoking, much like the artist himself. The last time we saw him was on Fashion's Night Out.



Valerie says: what makes a good Christmas gift? Defining a good gift might be a little like defining pornography, to blatantly steal from Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart: I can't define it, but I know it when I see it. Here are a few of my all-time favorites.

When I was very young, my older brother gave me a small (3") Steiff bear. My brother would also have been fairly young, so for him to spend what I knew was a good amount of money for a fellow child touched me deeply, even at my tender age. I have all my Steiff toys packed away now, so I can't show you a picture of my actual bear, but it looks a lot like the one in this picture, which I took from an Ebay posting. It wasn't only my brother's lovely gesture that bound me to this bear, though. It was also the bear's size. A girl can't carry her toys with her everywhere she goes, much as she loves them. But she can take one if she can put it in her pocket, and there were many days when I did just that. When I carried him around with me, he was the representative for the other stuffed plush animals who were too big to come along for the ride. He was the lone representative of his peers to come with me to Japan for the same reason.

My mother did a really champion job of Christmas from every aspect. I wonder now at her ability to find lovely gifts for every member of her family for so many years all by herself (since my father worked long hours). I buy gifts with trepidation. She may have, too, but she never let that stop her from being creative about gift giving. Every year she loaded me down with books, just as an oak tree litters the ground with acorns, in hopes that one might take root somewhere. One of my favorites ever (which I've mentioned before) is The Panda's Thumb, which is kind of a Ripley's Believe It or Not for animal lovers. (I loved the original Ripley's, with its interesting drawings. It was fascinating to read about the blind Indian yogi who stared at the sun all day every day, the guy living with the steel beam in his head [following a construction explosion, I think], and other such anomalies.) I was still at the age when kids are intrigued by the weird - everything from ancient Egypt to dinosaurs - so that was the perfect book for me.


This snakeskin belt with an abalone buckle was given to me by my ex-husband when we lived in Texas, early in our marriage. I loved its color and texture, and the beautiful abalone buckle left me speechless. This was when we first started to have small expendible incomes and could do just a little more than window shopping. I wore this belt all the time, mostly with a pair of billowy perriwinkle blue wool Yamamoto Kansai pants that I found later, after we first moved to Japan. I can still get this belt to clasp, although my palette has changed, and I haven't worn it for years. But I still find it quite charming, and marvel at my ex-husband's great choice (or great luck?).

I marvel also that this is one of my favorite Christmas gifts ever. It's a tool box that my sister gave me several years ago. It might sit in the closet for months at a time, but when I need it, I'm SO happy to have it. I LOVE that everything fits in its molded place in the box, sliding into place with a reassuring SNAP! that means it won't fall out (witness the photograph). I love that everything is arranged so clearly, and I love that the box fits in a small narrow space, and is light enough to pick up and carry. Recently my bathroom sink stopped up, and I was able to fix it using internet instructions and my tool box. As a single person, I don't have the requisite male to do odd jobs around the house for me, and the tool box helps me to feel I can take care of myself. I think it's odd for a woman to admit she loves a tool box, but there you have it. When I grew up, women on TV were always gesturing lovingly at odd objects like refrigerators - remember Let's Make a Deal? Vanna White continues that tradition today, so it was with that in mind that I took the above photo. (Dress by Ivan Grundahl; vintage beads. When I'm better at Photoshop, I'll discreetly remove the flab from my arm.) A couple of years ago, when I took shoe-making classes, I also bought a dremel, eye goggles and a face mask. All I need now is a drill! Here are close-ups of the contents of the tool box:



Over the years, a few people have complained that I'm a hard person to buy gifts for, and they're right. The main reason for this is that I work, and buy what I want when I want it. It's nice to have that freedom, but it does pose problems when I'm asked what I want for Christmas. Below is not a photograph of a favorite gift, but I bought myself a pair of shearling slippers a few days ago, so I guess they are a Christmas gift.

For several months now I've known that I would need new slippers. I had finally worn holes into the heels of the beloved shearling slippers I bought many years ago. (They're great for neuromas!) I considered telling someone to get me shearling slippers for Christmas. But the buy-for-me-what-I've picked-out-myself style of holiday gift giving makes me uncomfortable, even while I acknowledge that it makes gift-givers' lives easier and cuts down on the problem gift phenomenon. As you can see, they're BROWN, a color on my list of NO NOs. But importantly for me they have soft soles, so I gave in to these when I couldn't find black ones, and I am planning to hand paint them. Remember when you wanted to buy your mom something glitzy for Christmas, and she would leave you crestfallen when she said she wanted something you considered really homely? Well, here you have it: I have become my mother. And it's not bad at all...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Update on the gift card screed of a few weeks ago:

Ages ago, I received a Macy's gift card with $30 on it. I'm not near Macy's so it sat unused for the longest time. This past May I finally used it to buy a red knee length slip for $24. A week later, I found a longer slip, and brought the red slip back to Macy's. When I gave the clerk my gift card, she was new and didn't know how to work with it, so she asked for help. A more experienced clerk assisted her, and I left with my card restored. I thought. This week I called the Macy's gift card hot line because I'd forgotten the amount on the card. The automated service told me I had $6 on the card. The $24 purchase was recorded. The $24 return was not. Silly me, I didn't keep the receipt I was given at the time, so I have no proof, just a cautionary story.

Remember: friends don't let friends buy gift cards.

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If you're wondering what we will be buying one another for Christmas, we won't. We're sending the money we would have spent on each other to charity.

TRON: Legacy

Hello Everyone, I had a chance to see an awesome movie this morning, TRON: Legacy in IMAX 3D . If you are like me and you can appreciate a classic movie you will love this continuation of the Tron saga. I thought it was Amazing. On a scale of 1 to 10, i would give it a 15.

I loved watching the original Tron and this movie took you perfectly to the next part of the digital world to show you what came next. For months now with the rest of you i have been teased by clips and photos. But, once you finally sit down and watch it, you are captivated and blown away. You forget about time and just sit back to enjoy the movie. It is 2hours and 7 mins long and honestly i didn't even notice it.

One of the great things about the movie is that it integrates parts of the old original Tron into the story line. So if you haven't seen the original, please go see it first then this movie, you will appreciate the story more. I think this movie definitely deserves some major awards all the way around. I take my hat off to everyone who was involved in this movie, you guys Rock, Thank You.

Workplace Romance = Career Suicide

Office sex. It’s the forbidden Argentine tango meets the deadliest game of Russian roulette. It blends excitement with danger and serves it up piping hot on a high gloss mahogany desk. Or at least that is what the pornos portray.

Office sex is a fantasy shared by millions, myself including. Unfortunately though, that’s where the fantasy should stay - in your head and not acted out. Statistics say that 4 out of 10 people have dated a colleague at some point in their careers. (I use the word "dated" loosely. For the sake of this post, the word "dated" is going to be a generalization to describe any type of unprofessional involvement with a co-worker. An emotional and/or sexual affair with a co-worker either in, or out, of the workplace.) And with the office holiday party season upon us, temptation is at an all-time high! Office holiday parties are a breeding ground for bad behavior because everyone is looking their best, cutting loose, dancing and of course drinking. It’s a deadly combo and one that your career can suffer greatly from should you fail to use your best judgment.

After college it becomes harder to meet new people and make friends. These days the average person works between 50-60 hours a week. That means people spend MORE time with their co-workers than they do with their significant other, family or friends! Spend 50-60 hours a week with ANYONE and a relationship of some kind WILL form. Now whether you keep that relationship strictly professional, turn it into a friendship or something more is completely up to you. Nearly every H.R. department prefers you find romance outside the workplace. However, if you still insist on inviting unnecessary drama into your professional life and risking your career, there’s only one rule you need to remember when it comes to office romances...

Don't.

Not clear enough? Then try this...

DON'T!!!

Still not getting the message? Then here are a 5 things you may want to consider before those harmless office flirtations spiral out of control and end up costing you your job!

1. Stop Being Lazy
Relationships take work. And finding someone worthy of entering into a relationship with often takes even more work! If you’re too lazy to find someone outside your office to be romantically or sexually involved with, then you’re too lazy to be in a relationship. It’s easy to pursue someone you work with because they’re right there working 3 cubes down! It’s convenient. Plus, you already sort of know them so it feels comfortable. You share at least one common interest with them and have plenty of friends/co-workers in common. So striking up a conversation isn’t very difficult, especially considering you could always lead with a work related question. Basically, you have a legit excuse to chat them up without appearing like you want to feel them up.

2. Welcome To Rumorville
Sometimes all it takes is a couple lunches together and buying a co-worker a drink at happy hour to get the rumors at work on Monday flying! It was because she was attractive and flirty. And because I’m a man with hormones. So to onlookers, it only made sense! Then when word got around that I was actually dating her best friend (who didn’t work there), the next rumor was "he’s doing both of them!" And that’s how rumors get started. No matter how platonic one relationship may be, and no matter how discrete you think you’re being with another not so innocent relationship, people will take notice and will jump to conclusions. Co-workers will assume the worst because it adds a little excitement in a normally mundane 9-5 grind and gives them something interesting to talk about over morning lattes with their cubemate.

3. R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Start up an office romance and see how quickly EVERYONE in the company loses respect for you! Your hard work no longer seems earned. Your opinions will be called into question and your choices will be carefully scrutinize. People will wonder if your decision making process is one based with the company’s best interests in mind, or your own. You will appear sneaky and untrustworthy. And some may become hostile toward you for bending/breaking the company’s dating policy.

4. No Escaping!
Want to talk about awkward moments, jealously flare-ups, uncomfortable board meetings, snide remarks and power fights? Then become romantically involved with a co-worker. Better yet, wait until the two of you breakup and you’re forced to see your ex EVERY SINGLE DAY, ALL DAY LONG! The office becomes an emotional prison and there’s no escape.

5. Over And Under Rule
If they're over you, they shouldn't be "over" you. If they're under you, they shouldn't be "under" you. Get what I'm saying? Simply put - it's bad enough to sleep with a co-worker who is at the same level as you, but NEVER sleep with a boss or one of your subordinates! Not only are you asking to be fired, but you may find yourself wrapped up in an ugly sexual harassment case as well.

It doesn't matter how large or how relaxed of a company you work for, engaging in a workplace romance is committing career suicide. And in today's tough job market, believe me when I say you're easily replaceable. So don't give them an easy reason to let you go. Expand your dating pool.



***SIDE NOTE***
At risk of sounding like a hypocrite, it's only fair that I mention the advice I've just given comes from my own personal experience. When you know better, you do better. While I've never engaged in an workplace romance, I did receive a BJ at work (from a girl I was dating that didn't work there) during my rookie year in the workforce. I was fresh out of college with a bit of an ego and with lots to learn. I was young, dumb and full of...

Well, I’ll just end this post on that. Lesson learned.

Full Dance Card; or How We Went from Spain to Japan in One Evening

Jean says:
On December 2nd, we were faced with an embarrassment of fashion riches: a discussion at FIT by Hamish Bowles on Balenciaga and an opening at Issey Miyake in Tribeca for the launch his new line, 132 5. Of course, we decided to go to both events ... which meant we had to taxi from the first to the second, since we haven't yet mastered the ability to be in two places at once!

Valerie says: Yes, it never fails.



A girl goes for weeks without any invitations AT ALL, and then suddenly her dance card is so full she has to choose among suitors. Both of these invitations started at 6. What's a girl to do? We went to the slide lecture first, having received an e mail warning from FIT that if we were not there on time our tickets would be given away. Thank goodness some decisions are out of one's hands. At 7:30 we made a mad dash, like rabbits, to the Issey opening, which - happily for us - went on till 10pm.














Mr. Bowles' slide lecture was in conjunction with his exhibition, Balenciaga: Spanish Master (currently here in New York City at The Queen Sofia Spanish Institute), and in conjunction with his book, Balenciaga and Spain. Following his very thorough and very convincing presentation, in which he showed the deeply Spanish (and often deeply humble) origins of Balenciaga's inspirations, we were hoping to get a little face time with Mr. Bowles in the Q&A session, particularly because during the course of the evening he made passing - and intriguing - references to his own private collection. We wanted to know just how a private collector maintains his private collection. I mean, really - he has at least one full length Balenciaga ball gown that he mentioned. Slinky Fortuny gowns came in hat boxes (see photo, left); voluminous Balenciaga gowns simply can't. So does he keep them hanging? In big long boxes? Does he have one of those apartments where he's carved out walkways among stacks of unlabeled things? Are they in storage at Madame Paulette's, dry cleaner to the stars? Or does he keep them in scandalously bad conditions, as so many top museums are rumored to do? Alas, as it turned out there was no Q&A. But we noticed that Mr. Bowles was nervous, and almost never looked up from his text. We're assuming he's shy, and nixed the Q&A. (Or did his hour-long presentation run too long to allow for that?) There was a book signing afterward, which must be excruciating for a shy person. When we come out with our book, we're going to have a blast at our book signings, especially if we have a wee drinkie before each one.

Take for example, the dress in the middle sketch (photo taken at the lecture). How would one store it to maintain that fabulous shape? The hat also is a reference the matator's headpiece, Balenciaga's homage to his country's national sport. Although he personally disliked bullfights, he did appreciate and appropriate its costumes on numerous occasions.



Issey Miyake:
The opening at Issey Miyake was to announce its newest line of clothing, dubbed 1325 because 1 piece of clothing becomes 3-dimensional when worn, 2-dimensional when folded and can be worn 5 different ways. I wondered how well we'd be able to re-fold the garments and how useful/necessary it would be if we were storing rather than displaying them. (Valerie says: I have a feeling you can drop them in a heap, and they'll fall naturally into place. They should have a slo-mo video loop of that rolling at all times in the shop.)

These gorgeous objets d'art would not last long in either of our homes. Can't you just see our cats curled up on one of these beautifully geometric creations?

If I were lucky enough to have enough space and vitrines to display my wardrobe, these would be the perfect items. Until then, guess I'll just have to look and not touch! (Valerie agrees: They were doing a brisk business that night. Sales were so good that when we returned last night for another look, the apologetic sales staff said we'd have to wait till January for the next shipment to come in. I'm convinced that at least one client will put his/her purchase on the wall as an art piece.)

Since I cannot do origami to save my life, I can honestly say that if I owned this garment, it would never again look so neat. (V: unless in fact it does - shall we say - assume the position - that is, its original shape - when dropped. Now we have a mystery to get to the bottom of!)

Midori shows how to wear the new design, matching her silvery Doc Marten high-tops to the metallic highlights in her origami-like skirt. She makes it look effortless.










DJ Shin-chan kept the house rocking. He plays as hot as he looks. His mixes are muy popular -- he spun the next night at Chloe 81 on Ludlow.







Along with the sparkling new line of clothes, there were also sparkling cream puffs and sparkling wine (not shown but imbibed). The cream puffs were by Lady M.

The cream puffs had a shiny metallic frosting in silver and purple that looked like an automobile finish but tasted like heaven. Here's Jean going wild with her purple selection. Did we mention that we hadn't had time to eat dinner?






Jean says: This very fashionable lady works for Miyake Design Studio and looks terrific coming or going. I loved her pants, which had a 3-dimensional and light-reflective aspect to the legs. We chatted about shoes: my customized Dansko clogs with 3" added sawtooth bottoms and her low, black leather flats (Miyake, of course) with springs on the heels! I was so jealous.

Jonathan (on one knee) and Mark (right side of picture) and their two friends vogue in front of the store logo updated to include the name of the new 132 5 line on the lower right. We've run into Jonathan both at Fabulous Fanny's, where he's an extremely stylish and helpful salesman, and at Nicole Miller's on Fashion's Night Out. Always dressed to kill! Mark is a designer who is currently designing handbags for Marc Jacobs.

Jean says: Speaking of coming and going, Valerie has a go, with Jonathan and his kilted friend.
















Where else but downtown NYC could you be at a party where more than one guy shows up in a kilt and no one bats an eye?

Lacee Swan, fashion artist and blogger (www.laceeswan.com) poses with her friend Christopher, a fashion photographer.













Given the high style quotiont of the crowd, an appearance by StylelikeU's Elisa Goodkind was not entirely unexpected. It is always great to see her and get her "take" on the current state of fashion. She was speaking with a young man who is a teacher. How refreshing to encounter someone so passionate about his profession!






Valerie and I reconnected with Brandon Acton-Bond, who works at StyleLikeU and whom we'd met at one of their events at Blind Barber in the East Village. He also has a blog, Feigned Perfection. Brandon, who is also a shoe designer, was wearing a floral kilt (although Brandon pointed out it was patterned with fruit rather than flowers), which he had paired with great brown leather high-tops which had gold tips on the toes. Very cool. Valerie says: I tried to enlist Brandon in my endless quest to get someone to design fabulous shoes for Women of a Certain Age. Brandon listened very politely - even enthusiastically - but somehow I suspect my quest is long from over.

Here I am with this posse of the most stylishly dressed men in the room.They are absolutely fearless in their approach to dressing up to go out.

Here is one of the midriff tops and long skirts that can convert via snaps into pants. Valerie and I always pick our favorite item from each of the shows or openings we attend. This convertible skirt was my number one choice. Valerie says: I'm reserving my choice till the new shipment comes in, when I can see everything at my leisure.









Chris, the fashion photographer whom we'd met over cream puffs, is joined by his friend Rae (also a designer) and one of her friends, whose name unfortunately escapes me. (Blame it on low blood sugar, lack of dinner, cream puffs and bubbly!) (Valerie says: heck, all I have to do is blame it on my age!)






Valerie gasps: Gads! Am I really that short?! Jean soothes: No. Jesse and Ryan are just that fabulously tall! Jesse (on the left) is a composer. Subjected to my third-degree grilling, he confessed that his musical inspiration is bossa nova. Having spent some time in the favelas around Rio, he comes by it honestly. (Valerie says: Jean is sodium pentathol incarnate. She gets everyone to tell everything!)

Ryan (on the right) is a designer. He has a very dapper twirled mustache. Both lads originally hail from Cleveland and were planning to find a bar to watch the Cavaliers play the Miami Heat and boo Lebron James' first game back in Ohio. Valerie says: Ryan rapturously recommended a favorite cocktail bar to us, but I'm afraid to name it here, lest he find his place overrun next week by women of a certain age. People are more guarded with the names of their favorite bars than they are with the names of their married lovers. A hip bar is harder to come by.

Jean says: This jolly, fashionable trio stopped for a chat before heading out into the night. We discussed adopting rescue animals and fostering cats and kittens. I confess I only remember Sophie Stone's name (far right), so ladies, send us a comment and please remind me of your names and what you do. (Valerie says: it was the low blood sugar, lack of dinner, cream puffs and the bubbly.)




Valerie says: Here I am with old friends Katherine Crone and Susana Pesce, Susana's friend, and Midori. It turned out Susana had hip replacement surgery the day before I had my neuroma surgery. If any of our readers expect one day to be hip replacement candidates, Susana, like so many people I know who've undergone hip replacement surgery, is delighted with her results.

Jean is posing with Desiree, who is also a designer. The space that evening seemed to contain more fashion designers per square foot than any other piece of real estate in recent memory.











All of the guests received sparkling Evian water swag (Stuff We All Get). Here are some of the bottles, lined up on the floor behind the counter, while a new purchase awaits its owner in origami splendor.

Jean says: It was only a matter of days before the Evian by Issey Miyake bottles began appearing for sale on e-bay, with the highest asking price reportedly over $30!












The Three Musketeers get ready to head out into the night!

Oh, wait. The Musketeers were French. So these must be... um... Don Quixote, Sancho Panza and Dulcinea. NOT TOUCHING the which-is-which thing with a ten foot lance.

The sharp of eye will notice that our friend Katherine Crone is leaving with a different coat from the one she was previously photographed in. Oh, envy, envy. Green, just like money. SIGH!

Valerie is wearing: vintage gray velour hat, Issey Miyake Pleats Please windbreaker overcoat, vintage Tamotsu wool herringbone undercoat, vintage Issey Miyake jacket, Krizia Jeans dress, two Danielle Gori-Montanelli brooches (on hat and dress), Blowfish shoes. I fretted about whether it was OK to wear vintage Miyake to an opening for a new Miyake line. I actually had to ask Jean if that was a faux pas. She assured me that it was homage to the master. The things one has to think about!

Jean is wearing a Maria D. Del Greco hat, secured with an art deco bakelite domino pin, DKNY felted wool hooded zip front tunic, Yeohlee coat, vintage Miyake skirt, Lounge Fly bag, customized Dansko clogs and vintage eyeglasses (Revue's MOD OATH) from Fabulous Fanny's.