Mother's Day is coming -- why not treat mom to a movie night? Settle in with a homemade dinner (courtesy of you) and watch one (or all!) of these heartwarming favorites? (Bonus hint: Looking for a recipe? Try this classic beef stew from Jean Harlow and make your Classic Hollywood themed night complete!)
Read MoreMany people believe that objects can bring fortuitous events of love, fertility, fortune, and prosperity….
If a man and a woman see a ladybug at the same time, they'll fall in love.
Some cultures advocate for hanging red lanterns around your bed to bring luck to your marital bed.
Wear rose quartz to attract love and passion into your life.
Fill a bunch of vases with peonies (or line your walls with paintings of them).
But if you are in search of love this Valentine’s Day, maybe you should follow Marlene Dietrich’s advice.
Read MoreRebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is one of my all-time favorite novels. I was thrilled when I discovered Netflix was creating a Rebecca remake if a bit dubious. Could anything ever compare to the ultimate Rebecca by Hitchcock?
Read MoreSpring in a Small Town is my first encounter with a classic Chinese movie. It is included on the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die list, which is how I first discovered it. I found it to be beautiful and poetic, and I was entranced by its lead actress, Wei Wei.
Read MoreThe other day, my husband randomly asked me, “Is Doris Day still alive?” As many of you know, we lost Doris last year, May 13, 2019. She lived a long full life, though. She was 97 years old, and in those 97 years, Doris work embodied that of the All-American girl. Her legendary career included numerous hit singles, many classic movies, The Doris Day Show, and her passionate advocacy for animals.
Read MoreAudrey Hepburn. Elizabeth Taylor. Marilyn Monroe. And up there with the rest of the screen siren greats, stood Ava Gardner. The ultimate femme fatale, she skyrocketed to fame when, in a stroke of marketing genius, her image graced entire sides of buildings to promote the film noir classic The Killers.
Ava Gardner became a star, and fans came to see her films in droves.
Have you ever wondered about the mysterious Ava Gardner?
She was more than an actress; Grace Kelly took beauty and fame to a whole other level when she became the Princess of Monaco. And she became the embodiment of her own name.
But she was more than just a pretty face. At Grace Kelly’s funeral, a touching eulogy was read by actor James Stewart, who said ‘You know, I just love Grace Kelly. Not because she was a princess, not because she was an actress, not because she was my friend, but because she was just about the nicest lady I ever met’.
Read MoreI am a tremendous fan of Jean Harlow -- not just her work, but the woman behind the silver screen. Her life was plagued by scandal and, in the end, tragedy. But before that, she was the kind of film star who, if she happened to meet you on the street, might invite you to that evening's barbecue. She truly wanted to make her guests feel welcome, and was known as more of a tomboy than a glamour girl to those who knew her best -- more at home in pants than in sequined dresses.
Which is perhaps why I had to try out one of her recipes, in preparation for the upcoming colder months.
Read MoreAn invitation to "the Ranch" back in the days of Old Hollywood was like finding a real life golden ticket to meet someone who, in many ways, was like Willy Wonka -- without the chocolate. The guests of Hearst Castle included the greatest of the glittering Hollywood elite: David Niven, Joan Crawford, Charlie Chaplin, Errol Flynn, and Cary Grant.
If you were in the news, you might find yourself lucky enough to garner an invitation -- Hearst was in the publishing world, after all, and he loved to meet the people that made headlines.
Now, Hearst Castle is a State Park. For the fee of $25 per tour, you can enter the place that once upon a time, was esconced in mystery, only accessible to very few.
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