In July of 2009, Francie hosted the Revolutionary Road bookclub at Jude's Spring Hill home. Delish pea n ham soup warmed us on the mid winter's night. A great choice of book that 6 of us thought brilliant.

Richard Yates published RR in 1961. The movie, released in 2008 was an Academy Award winner and was probably the catalyst for renewed interest in Yates and his books. The characters are very human, bruatally honest in their fears, aspirations and limitations. Writing so fine that the reader cringes and squirms.

April and Frank are in their 7th year of marriage in 1955. Frank is entrenched in a well paid but boring office job. April is a character like Ester Greenwood in The Bell Jar.....only older and married with kids- a frustrated housewife still mourning the demise of her acting career.

Their relationship deteriorates. Their dream of escaping the sprawl of the suburbs to live in France doesn't come to fruition. An endless cycle of squabbles and jealousies leads to betrayal and tragedy.

by Denise, sorry iphone photos are dull and colourless.....will bring better camera next time.X

Annie Pate - "Pheasant"

This is a midnight blog.  The cat is rubbing herself against the monitor as I type this - both irritating and kind of nice at the same time!  I have been in the Valley to see Annie and her friend Ben perform at Rick's cafe.   Janet, I thought that Annie was fabulous - just the right amount of self consciousness at the beginning, and then that stunning smile at the end (perhaps relief that it was OVER!) and, of course, beautiful music in between!  She didn't seem the least bit embarrassed that her parent's friends possible outnumbered her own - all those doting and proud 'aunties' and 'uncles'.   Annie seemed genuinely pleased that we were all there (although there may have been an element of 'good manners' involved....no, I am sure that she was pleased!  I would have been in her place).  On my part, I just loved seeing passionate young people tonight and remembering what I was like when I was 18.   And then feeling so envious of Annie's obvious talent.   Janet - you have a gorgeous daughter.  Love D.

Prue to be at every book club from now on !!!

Amazingly it has been reported that Prue, after being under seige for months for non-attendances at book club, has guaranteed that she will be in all the historical/ hysterical photos taken at our gatherings! The photos below will evidence her guarantee!!!!

Make sure you check the evidence closely!!!

Can't remember when ?

The lovely instigator of the Book Club Denise with Ingrid with the magnificent city views in the background!

Memories from Ingrid's first bookclub night

Hi gals ,

remember when we went to Ingrid's and she had just put some beautiful new carpet down... and the bottle of red managed to overbalance... who was that gal with the exuberant arm gestures !!! Lucky we had a few resourceful gals who knew some handy hints for housewives!!!

Anna and Neicy hugging in the 80's

Sorry that my OCD is so obvious with all these photos I've added.....I just became excited to learn someting new, and know I have to practise to retain it for next time.
That's it for me for a while. I shall try to chronicle LS or B team BC events as they happen from this day forth. My definition of an event is when 2 or more of us are present- if you believe that to be a bit loose, let me know. We'll change the rules and break them again.
Kisses and luv
Denise

Lunch with the Blacketts 2008

On their riverside deck, Ingrid, JB- John and son, Kim chomp through Ingrid's plowman's beautifully prepared lunch.

Donna and Kevin's Wedding 2008

The happy couple arrive at the park under the Story Bridge to the strains of Here Comes the Bride, capably strummed by son, Zed on his lead guitar.

Melinda, Donna and Helie laughing and enjoying hearing Donna promising to inspire and excite Kevin for the rest of their days together.

Janet, Jacqui and Melinda all serious during the Nuptuals- perhaps thinking about the vows they made when being married.

Sam and I arriving home, exhausted but still excited after a day of celebrations and happiness at Donna and Kev's wedding.

Brisbane Writers Festival Sept 2008

On a Spring day that felt like summer, Marie Louise Thiele interviews William MacInnes, my not-so-secret fantasy writer/ actor/ funnyman and Graeme Blundell at a session on Being a Bloke. Sponsored by Odd Man Out, one of Lach's cheap and cheery wines. She was clever and gorgeous and they responded by being hilarious.

Denise and Nicole sneak off from Writers Festival to have a quiet one at The Joint....a quirky pub with live music. It's near the Parmalat Milk Factory on the river at West End. A milk factory with rivers views won't be there for much longer and units will tower in its place.

Denise and Judith's birthday celebrations. 24/8/08

Each year, Luvie and James, very generously and graciously, put on a soiree to celebrate Judith (55) and my birthday (52). It is lovely to have a sister in law as a birthday twin and catch up with family and friends. Anna was head chef with Luvie plating and jooshing where needed. Prue gave me a scented plate from Bali and Libby gave us Moet. Judith snavvled the Moet.....though I concede she deserved it more than I.

Prue, just returned from her trip to Bali, chats to Lach and Jai.

Anna, Hayley, Donna with Kingsley almost ready to arrive and James on the deck of the beautifully renovated unit in Florence Street. Jai yells for more wine in the background. The unit has already gone....believe it has been turned into office space, though that could be a fallacy.

Australia at Southbank 28/11/08

Thommo and Paula love their Friday nights on the town and this one was no exception. We had pre movie drinks at Denise and Lach's, crossed the road to the Southbank Cinemas to watch what was for most, a cringeful fantasy of a movie, good on you for trying to promote Australia to the world in this way, Bazz. Ended up at Greystones, then back home where the tragic hula hoop performance ended in tears- sadly my mothers.

Lach gives a welcoming speech, Rowena, his sister, Lisa and Elizabeth listen as he probably also says," We give good Red. "

Shock! horror! Prue makes a rare appearance other than the annual book club gathering she hosts at her home in Newmarket. The excuses she uses are innovative and interesting but they come with such repetitive regularity we have given up believing them.

Jacqui and Mike have a quiet drink before watching the movie Australia at Southbank. After all the hype about this film, we were particularly excited as it had been partly filmed in Bowen. Lach and I had even crashed a party at the Grand View where Keith Urban's rock band played, Hugh Jackman sang Sympathy for the Devil and Nicole stood out as alluringly beautiful in a mini cocktail dress.

Ingrid opens her present from Secret Santa. Jacqui looks on. My present was a pot of sage, it lived for ages and eventually went to seed- yes I did remember to water it. All my pastas were sage, basil and parsley infused for this period of time.

Helie gives Rusty a surreptitious smooch as Kokoda glides by the Treasury Casino.

The luncheon feast. Phil slices through the still warm baked honeyed ham. Yum ....aromas of Christmas and a crosshatched ham in a pillowcase in the fridge.

Anna giving another of her all consuming hugs....which we all miss.....Anna, her food and her cuddles. Rusty steering with Phil giving him advice.

The 2008 Christmas jaunt on Kokoda was a special finale to the year. Thanks to Captain Rusty and Donna for hosting it. We motored towards the sea, then headed for the River's source, enjoying a sumptuous lunch, a boomerang book sharing and a secret Santa.

BC #16 – Thursday 12 October 2006
Book – In My Skin by Kate Holden
Host – Helen Campbell

BC #17 – Thursday 2 November 2006
Book – We have to Talk Abot Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Host – Jacqui Hoskins

BC#14 – 12 july 2006
Host – Ingrid Blackett
Book- Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

We were a very small group this evening: Janet, Helie, Paula, Anna and Ingrid. Denise, Prue and Donna McC were holidaying and Donna McL had to stay back at work. Even though the group was small, the talk was lively and, if I remember rightly, everyone had liked the book. It was not as 'tough' as some had imagined. We touched on the political situation in South Africa and how the storyline and the main characters related to it.

Ingrid had tried to do South African food, to stick true to the theme of the night. Unfortunately her 'true' soup had to go down the insinkerator a couple of hours prior to the girls arrival. As she had omitted to store it in the fridge, it had gone off, just like South African politics... Never mind - a make-believe South African corn soup did the trick and warmed everyone on this cold night.

Anna was very animated and talked with arms and legs (well, not quite) and sent her wine glass flying... THIS was the real excitement of the evening! As the glass contained red wine and landed on the carpet, it stirred everyone into frantic activity! Toiletpaper, salt, talcum powder and the vacuum cleaner were all put into action. Mums and sisters were called on the phone to assist with advice. John consulted the computer. Sore knees and shoulders were had from the rubbing and dabbing. And Janet using the salt grinder over the stain, once the saltshakers were empty, is a picture I for one will never forget. Paula all the while stayed busy taking pictures - lest we forget - and Ingrid got the giggles badly, watching all this frantic activity. She wanted tiles anyhow... she had 'told John all along...'
Result: carpet cleaned up fine, we did some extra bonding and we have a 'sure' recipe for future clean-up operations! (Ingrid)



BC#14 B – 10 August 2006
Book - Q and A by Vikas Swarup
Host – Prue Dear but Denise's book at Prue's home.
Comments - Prue had the burners alight and book was discussed with Donna McL telling tales of her time in India for Phillip Adams’ radio show and Prue recounting her time as wardrobe mistress in the film The Far Pavillions. We were all caught up in the atmosphere of India- perhaps too much smoke was in the air- and the night was an enormous success.

Hels debated resigning from BC as she felt she had said too much, but in reality we all loved her humorous self-depreciating life stories. In comparison to Paula's stories of technicolour screams the next day, she realised how well behaved, comparatively, she had been.

Guest appearances by Tony/ Luigi/ Coathanger, Prue's long time flatmate from Heaven/ Hell and his new love, Kerry added to the atmosphere. Not many men are brave enough to show their faces for more than 10 minutes on BC nights, and to his credit, Tony was brave enough to cope. (Denise)


BC #15 - Wednesday 6 Sept 2006
Book - My Uncle Oswald by Roald Dahl written in 1980
Host – Denise but Prue's book at Denise's place
Great to have Francie as new member. BC now has full membership of eleven women, anymore and we'll b 2 unwieldy and it'll take too long to have your book choice. If u want to bring your new best mate, an out of town/ country visitor or you've just had too many reds and had the urge to ask a fun wild girl along, check with the hostess of the night that that's OK. One of our original aims was to be inclusive, not exclusive and I know we all believe this is important, so guest appearances are fine.

Apologies from Denise for her rude pike at 11:00pm to join Anna and the Riverfeast Cha Char crew on the Victoria Bridge. Now she is 50, she will do exactly as she pleases even more often.

Bon voyage to Ingrid who will be travelling to Perth and Germany and will make it back for Christmas breakup. We all luved the champagne and Hibiscus flowers in syrup.
Hope Donna McC is in better health and Peanuts sitting up happily waiting for caesarean section on 30 October. She has also been busy with the legal work for Rusty's company, Meridien's 50 million buyout of Able Point Marina in Airlie Beach.

Thanx to Paula for carpet cleaning presentation, shame Anna missed it.. Also for the bookmarks for us all from Vietnam.

A nite of many milestones. (Denise)

BC#11 Wednesdayt 3 May 2006
Host - Janet
Book – The Sea by John Banville
This was the first bookclub of our latest member Jaqui Hoskins. Janet was understandably nervous after her last effort. A balmy May night and we sat outside. The book divided people. Some couldn’t see the point of it at all and found the description which Janet herself found cryingly beautiful, gratuitous and dull. Those who hated the description also found the plot somewhat light on which Janet conceded but maintained the book still stands up as unforgettable. The night ended quite early as BC still had memories of a year ago when last hosted at Janet’s. Host had a severe hangover the next day. (written by Janet)

Author Night - Wednesday 31 May 2006
Janet + Helie + Donna Mc + Ingrid to John Banville talk at Customs House. Perhaps slightly disappointing as he talked less about writing The Sea and more about winning the Man Booker Prize and the controversy that ensued. (written by Janet)

BC# 13 Wednesday 7 June 2006
Host – Donna McLaughjn
Book - Affection, There Is No Cure by Ian Townsend
Janet, Helen, Anna, Denise, Paula and Ingrid all met at Donna's wee flat in riverside Chelmer for an uncharacteristically late start to BC. I too usually avoid historical fiction like the plague (ha ha!!) but was tempted to read this one having worked with the author at Radio National, and found him to be a lovely and humble human being.

I had also read lots of positive reviews which made me think I should support a local Brisbane writer. Once I started reading it, I enjoyed being able to relate to the physicality of the places he describes, Townsville in particular - but the character of the North in general, and also liked having a bit of a chuckle as I read. It felt like he'd really worked the book - except it lagged at one point for me - and I got that sinking feeling, oh no, it's one of those first novels that can't go the distance (it was around the time that the tent hospital was being talked about - it felt to me that he lost a bit of momentum there ...) but overall the pace and mood was enjoyable, easy to engage with.

anyway, back to BC. we all sat around my dining room table - the most people I've ever had in my flat - and we ate nibblies and drank wine and mineral water, talked about the book and John Banville ( I didn't mind that he was short ...) I had taken notes and read a quote from his talk that evening at Customs House - "A work of art generates its own law which cannot be transgressed." This confirmed for me that he was a true writer because he spoke so beautifully - this was just one sentence among many. I liked that as the former Literary Editor of the Irish Times he was able to speak truthfully about the business of writing reviews - "some books don't work!" and his own pride at writing experiences - so that the act of reading becomes experiential ... oh I digress, and so we talked about the BC author too - Ian Townsend that is - and Anna said Why didn't I invite him? I had thought of it, but wondered where he'd fit in a room full of strident women, in such a tiny physical space ... so there will be a chance to meet him, hopefully, at the 2006 Brisbane Writers Festival.

I loved the evening - the many cigarettes that were smoked on the minature balcony and the ranting by one and all, amidst speculation about the Title - is Affection the verb of infection? and so on. My feeling is that Affection was what occurred between the doctor and his patients - that he did in fact have a real affection for them - as well as lovely stories from Helen about her reading of Affection - her moments with the book in quiet while her baby slept and the impeccable timing of her finishing the final sentence just as her baby woke ...and stories from Hele & Janet about the Eagle Junction Fete, book covering, and their parents ( I feel like I know them...) and talk of art on my walls (George and Willy Tjungarrayi and Rover Thomas etc) prompted me to give funny little pastel rants on paper to each person who was there... I think Ingrid lost her little orange pastel heart which had no story except that which exists between a work of art and its admirer... then the lovely women left en masse - leaving me with crumbs from the turkish bread and empty bottles to clean up and a gorgeous warm feeling. loved having you all in my flat and thanks from my heart for contributing your beautiful selves to the occasion. (Donna McLaughlan)

BC#7 - Tuesday 8 November
Host – Paula
Venue –
Book –
Comments -

BC#8 - Thursday 24 November 2005- Our Christmas Dinner
Host - Denise-
Venue - @Montrachet, Given Terrace, Paddington
Book - Tim Winton's The Turning
Comments - It should have been obvious from the start that this one was not to be about the book, in fact, when Denise held up her book and tried to interest the others in talking about it, at most one sentence was uttered.
We had booked this restaurant, that only opens Mon to Fri, 4 weeks previously. As they do 2 sittings each nite, we could stay from 6 to 8pm, and felt fortunate to have a wobbly table on the cracked footpath breathing the carbon monoxide of the passing traffic. This heralded a new era in Brisbane dining. We tasted all the entrees, sharing the divine morsels, the mains and wines were OTT too- am salivating as I write. Ingrid had returned from her travels and presented us with flashing Christmas broach from Thailand. It was an early night. After our first year as a BC, I felt we were jolly and had gelled. (written by Denise)

BC#9 - Thursday 16 Feburary 2006
Host – Anna
Venue – The Bat Cave aka The Mousehole
Book – Incendiary by Chris Cleave
We all squished into my "mousehole' as Donna McCart called it.
Denise was late and a bought blond girl from WA - the former pilot - forget her name. Anyway it was a very boozy night. I served vegetable soup and bread.
The book was quite controvercial and much annimated discussion...very clear division between who liked and who did not. No one agreed with janet’s opinion that whole thing was a satire. (written by Anna + Janet)

BC#10 Wednesday 29 March 2006
Host - Donna McCart
Three Short Stories Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber (Ernest Hemingway), Salvatore (W Somerset Maugham) and Please, Be Quiet Please! (Raymond Carver) – the first book club without Big Chook, who was attending her grandmother’s funeral in Bowen. Short Stories were chosen, copied and distributed to members after the hostess was chastised for picking ‘rare’ books not available at Brisbane book stores or BCC libraries (oops!) – the rare books were Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway then Up at the Villa by Somerset Maugham!! The hostess was impressed by Janet Campbell’s knowledge of what comprised a ‘gimlet’, which features prominently in Hemingway’s story – good salve for frayed nerves and sexual tension! (written by Donna McCart)

BC#4 - Thursday 2 June 2005
Host - Janet
Venue – Janet’s House 15 Highclere Street CLAYFIELD
Book - Drinking A Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Comments - First bookclub meeting at Janet’s house. A bit of background relevant to ensuing events. When Janet told her husband Andrew bookclub was to be at his house in a few days he had a fit and said he couldn’t work the next day with a disturbed sleep and to cancel. Janet was not about to do that - once a bookclub date is agreed upon, short of a 100 year flash flood or the sudden and untimely death of the host, the night is set in stone. In the end Andrew agreed but said they had to leave by 9pm. This was patently ridiculous as they were only arriving at 7.30pm. To keep the peace Janet agreed to this. The night began uneventfully. Most enjoyed the book which is a very lucid and honest autobiography of a young woman (Caroline Knapp) who was a columnist on the Boston Phoenix but who had a secret life of alcoholism. The book was only briefly discussed before other topics were broached. In my opinion the group is still getting to know each other and is a little awkward when in book discussion mode but hopefully this will change as we relax more.

Anyway to get back to Andrew. He was there in the background and had even had a conversation with one of two innocent members who were yet to understand his bedtime issues. No one seemed to pick up on Janet’s unease as 9pm drew nigh. She subtly herded them outside to a b-b-q table when it got closer to 10pm. At this stage the ciggies were out, the wine was disappearing fast and the laughter was on the rise. Then Janet’s mobile phone rang. It was Andrew upstairs on the landline informing Janet that he would be coming down naked to break up the night is she didn’t. Somehow she got them out but still has regets that she didn’t allow Andrew to come down naked. At 10pm bookclub were out on the street with Janet inside telling Andrew she wanted a divorce. (written by Janet)

BC#5 - Tuesday 19 July 2005
Host – Helen
Venue – Helen’s House 56 Aveling Street WAVELL HEIGHTS
Book -

BC#6 - Wed 24 August 2005
Host – Prue
Venue – Prue’s House 27 Barwood Street NEWMARKET
Book – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
Comments - Donna McLachlan, a new member joins us. She has just returned from a 12 day retreat. She told us she had to share her room with a very chatty woman and was forced to pretend she was alseep. We listen to her stories of the sounds of silence, though the general consensus is perhaps it's not for us.
Denise and Paula end up at the Press Club in the seedy Valley, ostensibly celebrating a birthday, trying to Latin Dance. Prue had put the prawn shells in a handbag as a joke, so we sneakily leave these under the bar. (written by Denise)

Host- Denise McLean
Venue Denise’s House 1411/168 Grey Street South Brisbane
Book - The Naked Husband by Mark D'urberville
Attendees - 1.Sue McGrath Anderson, 2. Ingrid Blackett, 3. Prue Dear, 4.Janet Campbell 5. Donna McCart, 6. Denise Kirby McLean, 7. Heley Campbell, 8. Sylvia Ogilvie, 9. Paula Thomas, 10. Anna Wallace

Comments - Food - Denise had worked late, not shopped, so put together leftovers from the half finished jars in the fridge, cardboard biscuits snapped in half and fortunately the baby tomatoes were in bloom in pots on the deck. Everyone was secretly pleased, as they all knew they could easily compete and top these meagre offerings. Ingrid gifted us all a fibre bookmark with a costumed doll from Laos.

Conversation was animated and the book was discussed, as we checked each other out, listening to our stories that the book had inspired, deciding if this BC was what we wanted. Names for BC were discussed- you are all called, and always have been New Fun Bookclub in my group email. We said goodbye to Ingrid, as she was travelling around the world for a year, though she was definite she wanted to rejoin us in a year .

BC#2- Tuesday 5 April 2005
Host- Anna
Venue - Hilton Hotel (author night hosted by Dymocks Bookstore)
Book - Farewell My Ovaries by Wendy Harmer
Attendees -

Comments - Sue and Sylvia decided this was to be their last BC as Sue said she was too shy and the whole BC thing stressed her. Sylvia was too busy travelling, working and dealing with relatives.

Anna remembers there being only a few token men in the audience. Wendy’s presentation was very funny and she wore a very groovy black coat dress with embroidery. After the event we walked up to the Zen Bar and had nibbles and champagne. Anna tried in vain to shake the bookclub off to have Wendy to herself but we chose to ignore the signs and stayed to the end. Wendy talked about her new book and said the main character is based on Francie Perrins who was there with us.


BC# 3 - Thursday 5 May 2005
Host – Donna McCart
Venue - Donna’s House Oxlade Drive, NEW FARM
Book - Silk
Silk – a lovely novella by Alessandro Baricco. We sat on the verandah with wine and cheese. It was a non-eventful evening - not taking into account the usual gossip, story telling and counseling. I recall that Helen was in fine form that evening. Some members had also read Blood of Others, also by Baricco. (written by Doona McCart)

Southbank Bush Chook claims the last 2 posts and this one.

Eventually I may get the hang of this.
Lach has just arrived home. To be greeted by a noisily whirring, more like a bbbbrrrring shaking fridge. I heard it about 2 hours ago, banged the doors, shifted it around a bit- all to no avail. My wild intuition positively tells me it's a bearing in the fan has gone, just I don't want to think of the worst case scenario, where the contents of the freezer thaw and drip. Guess I'll head to the kitchen later on, pretending it's the first time I've heard it.
"Do you know how long that fridge has been making that noise?" is his loving greeting.
"About an hour ago," I answer , wishing I could tell the whole lie I'd planned, instead of a half arsed one.

He's so clever and talented, a regular Mr Fix-it. He's rummaging around in our tool shed looking for a wrench or a screw driver, I guess. He's so resourceful, as the tool shed is a pathetic tiny cupboard that hangs above the washing machine in the laundry. Aren't I lucky to have a fridge mechanic in the house?
" Here's the lock for your bike," he says.

It's not the sort of bike thieves choose to steal, so a lock seems superfluous. This is a fact, as our two bikes were locked together in the car park in the bowels of this apartment complex, robbers hacksawed through the chain on the two bikes, took Lach's expensive one and left my cheap old crate. This is how I discovered our bikes were of different quality, as to my untrained eye, I had no idea that my bike was a lemon.
Looks like the fridge will be bbbbbbbbrrrrring through the night till I find a qualified fridge mechanic tomorrow who will whisk in and repair it.

Weather bureau predicted a miserable day, Ingrid said it would be fine- she was precisely correct, as usual. So a bike ride was planned, where the finale was a vino at Yi, a cute cafe for ladies on the corner of Edward and Margaret in the city. Trisha and I walked and met Ingrid there for a laugh and to try to find conclusions to a few insolvables.
So Ingrid has enrolled me in Bike Riding 101, so pray I will meet up to the high expectations.

Learning to blog n bike ride in one day.

Had blocked out this blogging business, thanks for reminding it exists, Donna. This is my second attempt at posting....so it's shorter than my last rave about Ingrid teaching me how to be a push bikie. Farewell n hope this appears where I want it too.

Back on blog!

OK so it's the day after Valentine's Day which was in itself it's usual non event. Although we did try to go out to dinner and found every joint in a 5 km radius booked out. Even the average restaurants were bulging at the seams. Finally ended up in a Thai place I must have driven past a million times on Sandgate Road. Only 5 tables. Huge helpings. Kind owners. The only fly was that Harriet ate a whole birdseye chilli and cried quietly for about 10 minutes. Did I mention we took children?  And Kitty sulked for the entire meal because she wanted to eat at Hell Pizza 

(a new Pizza place with a hell and death theme. They even deliver in a real hearse.)

Anyway here is the Archives. They are not entirely complete. Please add anything you see fit.

Janet

Yves Klein Bleu - the colour and the artist

From the Tate -
In 1947, Klein began making monochrome paintings, which he associated with freedom from ideas of representation or personal expression. A decade later, he developed his trademark, patented colour, International Klein Blue (IKB). This colour, he believed, had a quality close to pure space, and he associated it with immaterial values beyond what can be seen or touched. He described it as ‘a Blue in itself, disengaged from all functional justification’. Klein made around 200 monochrome paintings using IKB. He did not give titles to these works but, after his death, his widow assigned a number to each one.

From MOMA -
Monochrome abstraction—the use of one color over an entire canvas—has been a strategy adopted by many painters wishing to challenge expectations of what an image can and should represent. Klein likened monochrome painting to an "open window to freedom." He worked with a chemist to develop his own particular brand of blue. Made from pure color pigment and a binding medium, it is called International Klein Blue. Klein adopted this hue as a means of evoking the immateriality and boundlessness of his own particular utopian vision of the world.

"Yves le monochrome," as Klein called himself, saw the monochrome painting as an "open window to freedom, as the possibility of being immersed in the immeasurable existence of color." Although he used a range of colors before concentrating on three—blue, gold, and a red he called Monopink—he is most associated with a blue he named International Klein Blue, which he arrived at by working with a chemist to develop a binding medium that could absorb pure color pigment without dimming its brilliant intensity. A student of Rosicrucianism and of Eastern religions, Klein entertained esoteric and spiritual ideas in which blue played a vital role as the color of infinity. Keenly aware that pigment is a substance of the earth, Klein also devised methods to make paintings using the other three elements—air (in the form of wind), water (in the form of rain), and fire.
Kazimir Malevich's Suprematist Composition: White on White (1918) is the major historical precedent for recent monochrome, but Klein argued that the Russian artist's primary concern had been with form—the square—rather than with color. As a result, Klein felt that "Malevich was actually standing before the infinite—I am in it."

For more about the colour IKB - see below link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Klein_Blue

Yves Klein Bleu - the band

Yves Klein Blue, the Brissie band (rockin' music), has the coolest website - http://www.yveskleinblue.com/.

This is what the band have to say about themselves -

"Yves Klein Blue are named after artist Yves Klein's famous IKB, a blue paint that does not lose its brilliance over time, forever appearing wet and freshly applied. The name is a metaphor for the bands aspiration to create music that will never fade with age.
Yves Klein Blue's clashy blend of classic pop, old punk, gypsy jazzand indie rock is a mixed palate. From the 4/4 tones of catchy lead single Polka to the fuzzy punk stylings of Silence Is Distance and tojaunty pop fuzz of Blasphemy, debut 5 track EP, Yves Klein Blue Draw Attention To Themselves shows their wealth of influences – from Bowie and Lou Reed to Nirvana, The Clash and The Beatles without adhering to or regurgitating any particular genre.
Born from a mutual love of Led Zeppelin forged in high school, as frontman Michael Tomlinson and guitarist Charles Sale escaped to the dusty confines of the school instrument storeroom, skipping PE and jamming at lunchtime. Bedroom jams bore the fruit of the beginnings of EP tracks, now fully formed with the addition of bassist Sean Cook and drummer Chris Banham.
With such an artistic name, it's no wonder the band is artistic in nature. Songwriter Michael is a very visual person, sometimes arranging songs by the unique method of drawing pictures to help see what a song will sound like. A crescendo may build to be a swirlinline, a certain strumming in jagged lines or a vocal coming in waves. The EP artwork takes this method of building songs and spreads it across large canvases.
Yves Klein Blue Draw Attention to Themselves was recorded in Brisbane and Byron Bay with Caleb James (Rhubarb) at the helm. It was mixed by Wayne Connolly (You Am I, The Vines, Josh Pyke). Yves Klein Blue signed with Dew Process, home of Sarah Blasko, The Grates, The Panics, Expatriate, Bernard Fanning, The Living End, Whitley and many more in late 2007. It was a great fit for the Brisbane based band, who now treat the Dew Process office as their second home."

Also - for more about the band, see its entry on WIKIPEDIA -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yves_Klein_Blue

A handbag for Denise - "Yves Klein Bleu" Chanel Patent Python

A note from the blog "I can't wait to vote!" -

"I just heard back from the Director of the Chanel boutique, this is REAL python skin. Not embossed leather. I know many of you are speculating the authenticity of the skin, don’t worry! It’s the real deal!
17cmx11cm $2,495 at Chanel
Still can’t find the ultimate summer blue bag? The House of Chanel goes mod with a classic French shade, Yves Klein Bleu, in a patent python classic chain bag. Yves Klein is the French artist who developed this shade of deep electric blue in 1958, and it has been known as International Klein Blue (IKB) in the art circle ever since. Serious Chanel collectors are going to go nuts when they see this. Most boutiques do not have it yet, so you can still get on the list. I had sworn off all classic flap bags and 2.55 bags, but this one is giving me serious heart palpitations. I love the shape, too. I have always wished for a wider bottom for my 2.55s, and it seems the Chanel angels heard my prayers. The one above is tiny (17cm wide, a mere 6.6 inches), there is a bigger one at $2,695 20cmx12cm (7.8 inches wide) but still smaller than what I’d like. However, the color is to die and the price is not too ridiculous for a Chanel exotic and it’s a fabulous collector’s item. At Chanel boutiques this summer."

Booker Prize clutch!

Linda Grant (The Thoughtful Dresser) accessorised with a white Anya Hindmarch (never heard of her) Pipkin clutch when she attended the Booker Prize awards. Apparently, she has a gold clutch from the same range 'on order'. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the link - oh my God - the clutch is GORGEOUS in the metallic (it is made of snake skin, I think).....but the price KILLED ME - 850 EURO!! D

More links

I have added links for - Huffington Post (American politics), The Booker Prize and the Pulitzer Prize.

More about The Thoughtful Dresser

I hate Linda Grant. Her life is one of the 'figs' on Sylvia Plath's fig tree - although the fig was hanging on a tree in someone else's orchard! I have just read her blog and it seems that notwithstanding holidays in Mexico and accepting prizes from Tom Stoppard, Grant still has plenty of time to post blogs on the First Lady's inauguration day dress (including sourcing and quoting other people's comments on the outfit), Aretha Franklin's hat and make quirky clever little comments about Mickey Rourke's Golden Globe attire (complete with links to definitions in Wikkipaedia!). By the way, she also has time to compile a new book called....'The Thoughtful Dresser', on the back of the success of her blog. I hope she has an army of assistants. She makes me feel completely inadequate because I can hardly get my bed made in the mornings. On the other hand, I am completely blissed out when I spend about an hour at the end of each day, quietly watering the garden (using tank water!) while Bill runs around picking flowers and climbing over the rocks and Kingsley swings gently on the patio in one of his little rocking chairs. Being an eloquent fashionista, shortlisted for the Booker Prize, will have to wait for another life time. By the way, I love Grant's blog and agree that Michelle's outfit was a bit matronly. I haven't seen her ball dress yet but I bet Michelle and Barack looked chic when they danced the presidential waltz at each of the ten balls!

Four books in four days!

Whilst marooned in Fiji, cowering in my bure with cyclonic winds threatening to blow the thatch roof off, I managed to read four books in four days. I don't think that I have read four books in four days since my student days (usually during swot vac, trying to avoid study!). I finally read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and am particularly sad that I missed this book club. I would have liked to have heard what you all had to say about it. Some bits of it particularly resonated with me - eg the metaphor about the fig tree. How I wish that I had at least nine lives! What a shame that Plath only wrote the one novel and that her demons haunted her to her death. I also read White Tiger by an indian author (? - won last year's Booker Prize - loved it!), Ian Townsend's The Devil's Eye (not a patch on Affection - looks like he wrote it in a hurry after doing some terrific research on the pearling industry off the Cape in the late 1800s and life at TI and in Cooktown around this time....he seems to have picked up all sorts of grants to write the book and I couldn't help thinking how much fun it would be to get paid to spend time in the library doing research about some interesting aspect of Australian history) and Life, Death and Marriages by Georgia Blain. Denise gave me this book to read a while ago. It is one of the best books that I have read in a long time. Blain's mother was Anne Devison (spelling?) and her father was also a radio journalist. Her eldest brother had mental health problems and died when he was in his early 20s. The book is simply about her life and what is was like living with her family - and Georgia Blain writes the way that I wish that I could. Russell read it after me and I was surprised at how much he enjoyed the book (he also commented on how well she writes). Oh - also just finished One Fifth Avenue by Candice Bushnell, who wrote Sex in the City. Despite its trash value (I couldn't put it down once I started.....and even dreamt about the characters!), Bushnell has an amazing ability to write about what we sometimes think but wouldn't dare say or act out. I think that she is brilliant! Perfect beach read. Rusty read the Edgar Sawtell book that I put on the holiday reading list and said that it was crap!