Song of the Day: Fascination

Good morning!

I hope everyone is doing well. The June heat is really kicking in here in Maryland, so I have found myself reading a lot lately (currently working on Jane Eyre) and watching a lot of movies. Just the other day I watched Love in the Afternoon starring Audrey Hepburn and Gary Cooper. While I did find the film pleasing, my favorite part was most definitely the waltz tune that was featured throughout the movie.

The waltz is called "Fascination" and was written by the Italian composer Fermo Dante Marchetti. It was released in 1904, and English lyrics were composed by Dick Manning and released in 1932.

Here is my favorite instrumental recording of the song:

And here is Nat King Cole's rendition:

For me, this piece of music instantly struck a chord. Both the instrumental version and Nat King Cole's version are so romantic that every time I hear the piece I just want to get up and spin across the dance floor. I could listen to this song all day long while dreaming of walking along the Seine River in Paris. One day this dream will become a reality!

I hope that everyone is having a lovely start to the week. What songs have been stuck in your head lately?

Cheers xx

In Ladew Gardens: Outfit

Hello everyone,

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Ladew Gardens, a little corner of Heaven in my home state of Maryland. My sister surprised me with the trip, and I ended up dressing perfectly for the occasion! Today I am going to share a little glimpse of what I wore and what the gardens looked like.

Having no idea where we would be going, I opted to wear this floral dress by Jason Wu. I complimented it with a pair of denim Keds and accessorized with my new Estee Lauder bag (the print is of a 1930's Harper's Bazaar magazine cover). The lipstick is also from Estee Lauder; it is Scarlet Siren in the Pure Color Creme Formula. 

Below are some of the other pictures that my sister and I took during our little adventure:

What do you think? Do you have any gardens like this one where you live?

I hope everyone is having a lovely Friday and has an even better weekend!

Cheers. 

Hello and Happy Birthday, Marilyn!

Hello, everyone!

Boy, it has been a very long time since I have penned something on the blog. Taking a 17 credit semester, volunteering, playing and coaching volleyball really added up, so I had to take some time off to really focus on my schoolwork. Now that school is over and my grades are right where I want them to be, I am very excited to be up and running again! Bring on warm weather and lemonade!

I am going to keep this post short today by just saying happy birthday to the beautiful Marilyn Monroe. She would have been 90 years old today. Even though she is not here to celebrate it, her spirit is alive as ever and so is her image. I have always admired Marilyn's strength throughout her difficult life, and she taught me to accept myself for who I am and to flaunt the gifts that I have been given. What an inspiring woman she was!

Here are two of my favorite pictures of Marilyn:

Though taken in two very different settings, both photographs show a very happy looking and at ease Marilyn. I find that she was the most beautiful when she was really, genuinely happy.

Once again, happy birthday Marilyn! I hope that everyone has been doing well. Have a wonderful beginning of June!