MAYRA ANDRADE

Mayra Andrade is a singer from Cabo Verde (born in Cuba) who is absolutely amazing! I saw her tonight at Carnegie Hall - it was her first show in NY. She got two standing ovations. Everyone should go get her new CD "Navega".

http://www.mayra-andrade.com/en/accueil.php

Deja vous?

Maybe it's my obsession with history repeating itself, or with propaganda that claims that it does, to promote a certain political interpretation of past events. Maybe here I am falling into the latter category, but when I read the headline (see link to MSNBC article below) that the US government is "outraged" by the fact that the government of Myanmar has let days pass without providing life-saving assistance to its citizens, I immediately saw an irony. Although there are important differences: Myanmar is led by a military junta and is an actual dictatorship (in Spanish they have "dictadura" and "dictablanda" playing on the word for dictatorship which in Spanish is composed of "dict" root of to dictate and dura or hard. The second term is made up word with the "hard" substituted for "soft." So maybe one could use a bit of hyperbole to refer to Dubya's regime as a dictablanda? In any event, to see the Bush Administration commenting on Myanmar's horrific neglect of its citizens and obstruction of delivery of external aid, I can't help but think of another situation when people died and were left homeless, albeit on a much smaller scale, Katrina.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24514879/

Queen Elizabeth in a Shmatta: Priceless

These photos, posted on the Times Style blog, are by "society photographer Milton Gendel." When my friend Falleeeysha forwarded this, in the midst of a very hectic day, it made my week. Note Andre Leon Talley and Lord Snowdon in their leopard skin coats - endangered road kill! And below Queen Elizabeth II in her kilt, blouse and shmatta / du-rag accompanied by her pack of Corgis. Is there anything camper than this, because if there is, and Lord knows I am a connoisseur of that genre, I don't know what is. But readers, do send any suggestions! 

Here is the link to the HILARIOUS post (and don't miss the festival of faggotry and cattiness that ensues in the coments!)

 http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/sandras-sources-the-milton-gendel-exhibition-at-verdura/

Strange Fruit

Happy May Day

Teacher's Contract 1923

How very fitting that a brilliant Pagan (he knows who he is and I love him) friend from Madrid who finds the most amazing things in archives sent me this 1923 contract intended for a female teacher in Spain. Among the rules she must abide by are: 

must wear at least two slips 

must not fraternize with men

must not go into town and loiter in the ice cream shop

must remain single

must not smoke or drink

must not wear bright colors

must not dye one's hair

must scrub and mop the floors in the classroom

And much more!

On my way home on the revoltingly crowded and stifling subway, I was wondering, have I priced myself out of the dating (let alone marriage market)? I'm looking for an extremely smart, educated, cosmopolitan, and well-read man with a sharp sense of humor but I rarely meet such men. It does give me hope that women friends of mine do have fabulous boyfriends or husbands, who are also friends of mine! 

In the past few months I have met guys who seem fascinating - smart, well-educated, well-traveled, with a perverse sense of humor. They seem to find me interesting but nothing comes of it. So I am starting to wonder, should I pretend to be dumb? Should I relax my incredibly high standards? I definitely won't do the latter. My quality of life is so high that I'd rather not date at all if I have to go out with someone that bores me (or disrespects me, of course). Will I find someone who is up for discussing genocide as well as trash reality TV, politics, or travel? Someone who likes to dance, go to the beach or to the Fairway, try exotic foods, who also reads books and can discuss them intelligently. Someone who will watch grim documentaries as well as Miss Marple episodes on PBS, and maybe even fix my computer or things around the house? (just kidding about the last ones) Someone whose sense of humor is not politically correct? Someone who does not hate cats and isn't afraid of a woman with a very strong personality? No, I am dreaming. 

At least I should be grateful that my current teaching job doesn't entail my scrubbing floors or wearing two slips under my dresses, even if it does seem to destine me for spinsterhood (albeit, in my case, an extremely fabulous and glamorous spinsterhood)!!!!

Opera Chic!

The marvelous paragraph below, taken from a blog called Opera chic (http://operachic.typepad.com/opera_chic/) made my day:

Opera Chic tackled the high-drama night, Daniela Dessì's first Norma, decked out in the girl equivalent of a bulletproof vest -- a vintage Chanel black cashmere shell, Diane von Furstenberg black puff skirt (with pockets...omg how we <3>hat skirt!!). With classic Valentino black Mary Janes and the trusty midollino vintage Gucci bag. A shiny black Fay windbreaker to protect us from the naughty, chilly weather (it's still mild, fall-like weather around here, no summer for Italy yet)."

Thanks to my erudite and hilarious SuizoRican friend for sharing.