Author Archives: Sans Souci

398. I found My Guardian Angel

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This is a topic I’ve always wondered about. The possibility that there is an angel on my shoulder. Yesterday I got an answer. I’d like to believe it. A friend sent me a link to a blogtalkradio program. The guest on the show was a social worker my friend worked with in a school a few years back, Richard Scheinberg Richard  discusses a subject from his new book, Seeking Soul Mates, Spirit Guides, and Past Lives.He went on to augment his practice in esoteric studies. He specializes in past life regression. This is something I’ve always thought about doing but … Continue reading →

533. The Pornography of Advertising?: Killing us Softly: Jean Kilbourne

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“Even Cindy Crawford would like to look like Cindy Crawford.” This morning I received an email which contained a link to the final video here. After I watched it, I found the previous parts of the video/documentary and decided to post them. As per Wikipedia: “Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D. (born January 4, 1943) is a feminist author, speaker, and filmmaker who is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on the image of women in advertising and her critical studies of alcohol and tobacco advertising. She is also credited with introducing the idea of educating about media literacy as a way to … Continue reading →

558. NYC Photo Journal: I Only Have Ice For You

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Try getting down this driveway (without breaking a hip) and getting to an ice encased car. NYC Schools are open. Good luck… An ice dam formed at the edge of the porch roof; the leaders and gutters are frozen and water is pouring in between the roof and the gutter. 14 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded reply greenwytch wrote on Feb 2, ’11 slip slidin’ away….. reply bonnymom wrote on Feb 2, ’11 Sue, come look at my icicle pics on my page! reply starfishred wrote on Feb 2, ’11 oy vey reply asolotraveler wrote on Feb 2, ’11 and you are … Continue reading →

556. NYC Photo Journal: Snow More

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I thought I would update you on the storm from two days ago. This is how the street looks now. Mind you, I had to call my councilman’s office to report that the snow plow had never come down the street. After last month’s fiasco with snow removal, the Mayor is notified directly. The plow came and cleared a bit of the mess and salted. Of course, when we started to dig out, a lot of the snow ended up back in the street. There’s an ice dam of melt at the curb cut, but I couldn’t break through enough … Continue reading →

300. New York City Photo Journal: Manhattan doin’s: 9/21/08

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Sunday, September 21, 2008. We celebrated the first day of Fall in Manhattan. We had theater tickets in hand as we luckily found a parking spot–yes, in Manhattan on a Sunday. To make the city all the more interesting, there was a street fair, and you know what that means; food. And plenty to see and smell. We explored the street fair a little but decided to have lunch in a more quiet nearby area where we could sit and be served. New York City is the Sunday Brunch capital of the world; you’ll find the thousands of restaurants full … Continue reading →

301. Photo journal: checking back on my window view

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Yes, it is technically Autumn. We are going to be getting some heavy rain over the next couple of days. I thought the apple tree was dying, but the garden guy says, “there is still life in it.” Big sigh of relief. There is a large branch on the left that will have to come off as well as others here and there. I thought this was “the end,” of my old, old Golden Russet tree, one of the originals left, perhaps the only one, from an orchard that was here maybe 70-80 years ago. The container garden will soon … Continue reading →

511. New York Photo Journal: Food: Harbor Q, The place for barbecue

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Ribs. You know you want ’em. Sometimes ya just gotta. When I saw a local abc news “Neighborhood Eats” review of Harbor Q, my reactions was, let me at it and gimme them “Buffalo Soldiers”! Keith Dorman is a Port Washington, Long Island resident who had a yen for meat smokin’ barbecue. He sampled the best in the country and built and opened Harbor Q, right here on Long Island, (just over the city line in Nassau County). We’ve been doing a lot of eating out during our endless kitchen renovation. This was the place to dine tonight by popular … Continue reading →

302. Photo Journal: My NYC Lake

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Many people don’t realize that New York City is a city of many neighborhoods spread out among the five boroughs. I live in a “laid-back” area that appears suburban but still has excellent public transit and close proximity to shopping. It’s nice to have the option to walk to everything, and it is also nice to have a lake–yes a lake nearby. It’s 7/10 of a mile around. Great for exercising and meditating. I am intrigued by the ever changing light, reflections, and textures. There’s always a surprise. (click to enlarge each photo) I took my camera and headed for … Continue reading →

555. NYC Photo Journal: 1/27/11: Snow Storm…see you in the summer…

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January 27, 2011 4 AM How is this night different than any other night?      22 CommentsChronological   Reverse   Threaded reply agnes128 wrote on Jan 27, ’11 Oh my Sue! I hope you aren’t to cold, big warm hugs to you. reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Jan 27, ’11 Hi Aggie, I am safe but I’ll never get out of here. I bet there’s 3 feet of snow now, maybe close to 4 total– it hasn’t stopped since Christmas! reply gileson wrote on Jan 27, ’11 I  guess it would hurt your feelings if I told you it was 52 degrees … Continue reading →

305: Shea it isn’t so: Yankee Stadium is gone, now Shea, too….the end of an era.

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Sunday we attended the final Mets game that would ever be held at Shea stadium in Flushing (Queens, New York). It was a moving experience for Mr. Souci who attended the very first Mets game in Shea Stadium in 1964. The Mets played the Marlins and lost. The new Citi Field (seen in Shea’s background), will open next season and the old Shea grounds will revert to a parking lot. Some highlights: You will see the final game played against the Marlins; Marc Antony sang the national anthem; Glenn Close sang too–didn’t recognize her; Mr. Met did his usual thing: … Continue reading →

378. NYC Photo Journal: Flushing Town Hall Jazz series: and a poem for Poetry Wednesday

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The beautiful, restored Victorian Flushing Town Hall (near the hubbub of Main Street Flushing, not far from Citifield (the replacement for Shea Stadium), is now a cultural hub and the home of jazz. You can follow the Queens Jazz Trail here. If you are a lover of jazz and coming to New York City, order the maps and info from the link above and take the walking tours. The borough of Queens is the home to many of the performers in the newly formed Jazz Orchestra. It is home to Jimmy Heath, and was the home to the late Louis … Continue reading →

132. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage charms and bracelets: Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk

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Here’s a fun “vintage” bracelet I made to honor my city. (click to enlarge)         (I like to wear this vintage Dodgers baseball charm through the safety chain.) Here’s the tour Starting at the clasp, top:   1. An enamel charm of New York State 2. A traffic light: mechanical: the lights spin to change colors 3. An enamel shield of Niagara Falls 4. Enamel charm is of Staten Island. (There are 5 boroughs that compose the “city” 5. The Empire State Building 6. An enamel charm of Coney Island—the parachute 7. An enamel charm of the … Continue reading →

108. CreARTive Sunday: What I do (original post, 2007)

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When I was working I found it difficult to devote much time to myself and my joys; I was too drained to come home after a day of work, do what I had to do for my family and around the house to spend much time “creating.” At this time my concentration has been on writing, which is something I finally gave myself the right and the time to return to, and I am loving it. But I seem to go in cycles because I need to focus. I loved to knit and to sew. I use the past tense … Continue reading →

139. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Girls Just Wanna Have Charms…

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…and the money to buy them!               What girls want (from left to right): 1930’s phone with rotating dial · clover design compact (opens, has enamel “powder” and “rouge” lipstick attached · Italian Etruscan style charm of slipper, turquoise stones · enamel red hat in hatbox, detail below · tiny purse with chain · detailed purse, ruby on one side, emerald o the other, opens · “Mad Money box” holds folded 1 dollar bill · chest of drawers: bottom opens revealing a turtle: women are “slow dressers” · tiny Italian Etruscan style purse, blue … Continue reading →

119. CreARTive Sunday: My Art: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Heart Series(cont’d)

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The links make it! Taking advantage of non-charm bracelets.   (click to enlarge)   The “Hearts on the Gate” bracelet (2 views) is a 1970’s Gate Link bracelet. I took advantage of a very unique piece; each link is composed of 4 bars creating a gate effect. the clasp is a padlock. From the rungs of the gate I staggered the vintage hearts from the Deco period and up, adding a touch of color for interest—the cobalt heart and the surprise of a little bluebird and a miniature floral enamel heart. Some of the hearts are engraved on the back: … Continue reading →

114. CreARTive Sunday: My Art: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Heart Series

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Am I Blue? The heart series. click photos to enlarge. Today I am beginning my display with 2 bracelets from my flower series. Part of the joy of collecting charms is finding interesting bracelets. Eventually it all comes together, and the right group of charms is “married” to the right bracelet. I may mix different age periods: 1940’s with Victorian, for example to get the right effect.   The “Am I blue?” bracelet is a mix of enameled and non-enameled and stone inlay hearts in shades of blue. The bracelet itself is probably from the 1970’s, but the woven mesh … Continue reading →

125. CreARTive Sunday: My Art: Vintage Charm Bracelets:Albertina Chains

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Antique niello pink gold Albertina chain (enamel inlay makes a stripe effect) makes a great necklace for an antique Italian pendant. You may click to enlarge. Pieces can be found in photo albums   The portrait framed in silver, is painted on ivory.     Here’s another idea for an unusual bracelet. Many years ago Albert chains were used by men for their pocket watches. They would suspend the watch from a fob and it often had charms hanging from it as well. Examples of some interesting English fob charms I have collected:    A man’s working gold and silver … Continue reading →

146. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage Charm Bracelets: Food, Glorious Food

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This is a mix of vintage charms with some new enamels thrown in for color. The details are amazing, it’s hard to believe you are looking at miniature works of art. There are several “mechanical” charms; these open and/or move.   this photo may be enlarged by clicking on it.         Carbs? Who’s Counting The Food “Menu” Starting at upper left: (new charms were made within the last 20 years, vintage were made before the 1970’s) small ice cream cone with red, white, green and blue crystals, (fairly new); enamel orange (new) vintage beer stein, lid opens; … Continue reading →

541. The final kitchen. Amen. From NYC to Wales. Happy Thanksgiving!

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If you have been following my kitchen renovation saga, it has finally ended; the kitchen is complete. The faulty stove has been replaced with a finer stove that works, and it can be lightly wiped down without the finish coming off!! There was an issue with the freezer door finish as well, something not expected or tolerated for such a unit and Miele was extremely responsive, sent someone right away, the part arrived almost immediately and the technician returned and installed it. Great service. I also treated myself to a new set of dishes to replace the present ones that … Continue reading →

151. CreARTive Sunday: Vintage charms and bracelets: Cats Meow?

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Victorian cat head bracelet             lady bug goldfish in aquarium turtle (head, feet, and tail move in and out) frog enamel hummingbird fish with pearl bubble (tail moves) owl scholar ( eyes and wings move, holds a book) tiny bird with binoculars and trail guide cardinal   Cats and more… walking cat sitting cat mechanical diving cat and trash can cartoonish cat mother cat and kitten mechanical kitten with moving head trash can opens, kitten inside mechanical bride catdress moves, holds bouquet kitten in a basket solid silver victorian puffy cat kitten with red enamel … Continue reading →