ELIZABETH AND IRISH ACRES

(Wearing "Elizabeth" with my friend Kimberly seated next to me-click on photo for a better view of the hat)


(The Nonesuch Kiss)

A while back, I posted about “The One that Got Away", the hat that I christened, “Elizabeth”. Well, I did track down the antique dealer and she was more than happy to send “Elizabeth” to me, packaged beautifully with a wonderful clear plastic form so the hat would keep it’s shape during shipping. After the arrival, I waited until the perfect time to wear ‘her’ and that time at long last arrived this weekend. The Tea Society made our annual lunch to Irish Acres and The Glitz located in a very small, quaint little hamlet called Nonesuch, Kentucky. This wonderful place is owned by sisters Jane DeLauter and Emilie McCauley, daughters of Arch and Bonnie Hannigan who opened Irish Acres 22 years ago. Jane, accompanied by her two-year-old border collie/shepherd mix Rudy, oversees the antiques portion of the facility - while Emilie is Grand Dame over the The Glitz.

The virtual wonderland is located in a classically styled two-story structure, built in 1936 and used until 1981 as an elementary school. After an extensive remodel, the building now contains 32,000 square feet of display space, showcasing “American and European furniture, glassware, china, crystal, silver, linens, dolls, jewelry, rugs, and decorative accessories." The cellar restaurant, the Glitz, offers some of the most delectable cuisine in the area. The meal begins with a chilled spiced apple cranberry refresher followed by an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. You can often find such wonderful dishes as Hungarian Mushroom soup( the best I’ve ever had), Seafood bisque, a chicken puff pie, brie en croute with sugar-coated grapes, beef tenderloin with a remoulade sauce, and for dessert, their signature dish, the Nonesuch Kiss. The latter being a concoction dreamt up in the kitchen of Emilie McCauley. She said that she longed for the taste of malted milk balls from her youth so began measuring, blending, and tasting until she created a meringue shell layered with jamocha ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, almonds and a cherry on top. And did we devour that delectable dessert? You bet we did! Along with some hot Earl Grey to nourish the soul.

CHERI`

This week I had the pleasure of watching Cheri`, starring the beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer and the handsome and talented Rupert Friend. Here is the synopsis from the novel by Colette:

Cheri, first published in 1920, is considered Colette's finest novel. Exquisitely handsome, spoilt and sardonic, Cheri is the only son of a wealthy courtesan, a contemporary of Lea, the magnificent and talented woman who for six years has devoted herself to his amorous education. When a rich marriage is arranged for Cheri, Lea reluctantly decides their relationship must end. Cheri, despite his apparent detachment, is haunted by memories of Lea; alienated from his wife, his family and his surroundings, he retreats into a fantasy world made up of dreams and the past, a world from which there is only one route of escape. In her portrait of the fated love affair between a very young man and a middle-aged woman, Colette achieved a peak in her earthy, sensuous and utterly individual art. Cheri caused considerable controversy both in its choice of setting - the fabulous demi-monde of the Parisian courtesans - and in its portrayal of Cheri. ( From The Nile)

I had been longing to see the recent movie adaptation of this romantic drama, and was so pleased with this Art Nouveau visual feast and wonderful costume extravaganza. Being that my favorite period in fashion is the Edwardian period, I was in seventh heaven with the lovely ensembles and millinery. Below are some wonderful images from a film that I highly recommend.