Pascal would never admit it, but I think he secretly looks forward to this time of year for the holiday music on all of the radio stations.  To my knowledge, having radio stations dedicate an entire month to playing Christmas music is a uniquely American phenomonen.  He claims not to like it, but I’ve heard him humming Deck the Halls and tapping his toes along to Sleigh Ride:

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling,
Ring ting tingling too
Come on, it’s lovely weather
For a sleigh ride together with you

One of the most popular holiday songs of all time, Sleigh Ride has been covered by an amazing number of artists, including:  Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, The Andrew Sisters, The Muppets, Johnny Mathis, Amy Grant, Harry Connick, Jr., Debbie Gibson, Neil Diamond, Garth Brooks, The Spice Girls, Neil Diamond, and Clay Aiken. There’s a verse in the song that makes reference to Currier & Ives, probably the first time I’d ever heard of the duo. It wasn’t until years later that I understood that Currier & Ives were famous printmakers.

There’s a happy feeling
Nothing in the world can buy
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie
It’ll nearly be like a picture print by Currier and Iives
These wonderful things are the things
We remember all through our lives!

So just who were Currier and Ives? Only the most
successful printmaking firm of all-time. Headed by two men (with the last names of Currier and Ives), they operated in New York City from 1834-1907, producing black and white prints (lithographs) from paintings that were then hand-colored. Lithographic prints could be reproduced quickly and purchased inexpensively, and the firm called itself "the Grand Central Depot for Cheap and Popular Prints", advertising its lithographs as "colored engravings for the people", i.e.  art for the masses.

The company was prolific, publishing at least 7,500 lithographs in the firm’s 72 years of operation. Artists produced two to three new images every week, selling more than a million prints. Currier & Ives had an uncommon flair for gauging the people’s interests.  They employed (or used the work of) many celebrated artists of the day to create the original drawings which were then printed and later colored by hand. Over the years their selection of prints broadened to include almost every subject. There were horses, kittens, the Brooklyn Bridge, Christopher Columbus, historical events and catastrophes (like the explosion aboard the USS Princeton, 1844).  Of course, there were also plenty of winter scenes such as sleigh rides in the country and ice-skating in Central Park.

This is the first year that South ‘n France is offering a Currier & Ives bon bon tin, and we have feeling that just like centuries ago, it’s sure to be a popular seller…

Last month, I was delighted by the internet news coverage of Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot. Have you ever noticed that fancy hats and fancy horses seem to be very closely linked? I wonder if it has anything to with the fact that the two words look so much alike in French (chevaux=horses, chapeaux=hats). It is tradition for ladies to wear hats at the world’s most famous horse racing events, including Royal Ascot and The Kentucky Derby. Because of my Bon Bon Queen hat, I’m often told that I’d be the perfect "date" for The Kentucky Derby, but truth be told, I’m more interested in attending the very posh Royal Ascot which is steeped in tradition and aristocratic pomp (the first Royal Ascot took place in 1711).

There are very few events left in this world where a strict dress code must be followed, but Royal Ascot is still one of them. Within the Royal Enclosure, skirts can’t be too short (no more than two inches above the knee); dresses must have shoulder straps at least one inch wide (no halters, strapless, shoestrings or off-the-shoulder items); midriffs cannot be bared; and panties are required (is anyone checking?). Break the dress code rules, and you can be turned away at the gate. The code is equally strict for men – morning dress only, which means tailcoat, pinstripe trousers, and top hat. At Ascot, the tailcoat is traditionally grey rather than black. Men can indeed wear an ascot or cravat, but most prefer a tie since it doesn’t require wearing a wing collar.

Hats for ladies are also required. And this is where it gets fun. I love the sofa hat; it’s just missing one thing – a tin of South ‘n France bon bons for "sitting around on the sofa eating bon bons". In the good ol’ days, ladies’ hats had to "substantially cover the crown of one’s head". Now hats may be as simple as a "substantial fascinator". What is a fascinator, you might ask? I certainly had to. A fascinator is an intricate, slightly frivolous head decoration worn on the hair. They are commonly made with lace, flowers, feathers and beads and they attach by a comb, clip, hat pin, bobby pins, or a headband. All of the hats you see at Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot may not be fascinators, but they are all fascinating. Hats range from chic haute couture to the truly outlandish – one of my favorites in the ‘outlandish’ category is the Stilton Cheese hat. Is she The Fromage Queen, I wonder? Perhaps she owns a cheese shop. 

I’d love to get an invitation to Royal Ascot (it’s the only way you’re allowed in). Perhaps Simon Cowell will invite me next year. It certainly looks like his crowd had a good time this year – they even bet on the winning horse, which just goes to show that Simon really does know how to spot talent! In exchange for an invitation, I’d be more than happy to bring bon bons to the traditional Ascot "tailgate" picnic. (Unlike our casual American tailgate parties at football games, Royal Ascot tailgates usually consist of champagne, lobster and caviar consumed from the back of a limousine.)

Naturally, the Royal Family attends Royal Ascot each year. People even take bets on what color hat and dress ensemble the queen will wear (this year, it was yellow). Everyone watches the Queen for cues on how to conduct themselves. For example, as soon as she puts down her fork to indicate that she’s finished with the luncheon before the races, everyone else must do so as well. I hope she eats very slowly!

I absolutely adore this YouTube video, which is a great compilation of the most wild and wonderful hats of Royal Ascot in recent years. I would be proud to wear any one of the hats featured in the video. So far, I’ve only come across one Royal Ascot hat, I don’t think I’d be willing to don. It might make a nice carpet for my office, though…

When I tell the story of how Pascal and I met in Paris, I often make reference to the Moulin Rouge, the legendary Parisian cabaret located at the tip of Paris’ red-light district, Pigalle (just a short walk from Montmartre where Pascal and I used to live). In the early days, this famous cabaret was a hotspot for "happening" painters, poets and bourgeois locals; today it is frequented mostly by tourists and corporate executives. But the venue, the dancers, and the show continue to maintain the Moulin Rouge tradition of opulent glitter and glamour. It is an extravaganza of music, dancing, feathers, rhinestones, sequins and champagne.

Like most things in Paris, the Moulin Rouge has a rich history. Here are just a few fun facts about the greatest cabaret on earth:
- The first Can Can dancers at the Moulin Rouge were not professionals, rather working class girls-by-day (linen maids, laundresses and seamstresses), rowdy, boisterous party girls-by-night. Most of the dancers became famous due to their peculiar and suggestive "stage" names such as la Goulue (the glutton), Nini Pattes-en-l’Air (a leg-over, muse of artist Toulouse-Lautrec), Grille d’Egout (drain cover) and la Mome Fromage (kid cheese). 

- The first show was called Frou Frou. It was such a great success that the owner, a superstitious man, chose to title each revue with the names that begin with "F." To date, the shows have been: Frou Frou, Frisson, Fascination, Fantastic, Festival, Follement, Frénesie, ‘Femmes, Femmes, Femmes’, Formidable and Féerie.
 
- Speaking of "F"-words, the Moulin Rouge goes through a lot of feathers. They have their own preferred feather maker.

- The dancers’ shoes must be able to withstand the girls dropping to the floor, doing the splits, and performing acrobatic tricks - all to the fast-paced, frenetic rhythm of the French Cancan. A traditional Parisian shoemaker, M. Clairvoy’s makes special shoes just for the Moulin Rouge.   

- Celebrities like Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, Ginger Rogers, The Village People, Liza Minnelli, Michael Baryshnikov, The Gipsy Kings, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Juliette Binoche have all performed at the Moulin Rouge.
 
- Jackie Clerico, the same superstitious owner who insisted on "F" titles for the revues, staged the first topless dancers in 1962 and installed a giant aquarium that elevates from below stage for a nautical ballet. The aquarium (and the topless dancers) are still part of the revue today.

- The Moulin Rouge is the biggest champagne buyer in the world - around 350,000 bottles a year - more or less 1000 bottles per day!

- There are more than 100 artists on stage and almost as many waiters and bus boys to keep up with the champagne-drinking crowd.

- These days, the show costs anywhere from 92 to 180 euros (with dinner), but this extravagant, show-stopping cabaret is well worth it! Just like riding the gondolas in Venice, it’s one of those touristy attractions you really shouldn’t miss.

The Easter Bunny has hippity-hopped through town, and now you’re left with several dozen hard-boiled eggs and empty egg cartons.  (If you had a really great Easter, you even have a few empty South ‘n France Bon Bon egg cartons sitting next to your fainting couch).  What do you do with all of those leftovers?  Hard-boiled eggs are great for egg salad sandwiches, deviled eggs, and salade niçoise, but egg cartons aren’t so tasty. Still, they can be useful. For example, if you’re feeling creative you can make your own egg carton toy camera. Isn’t this little photographer just too cute? The lens of his camera is the top of a sports drink bottle.

Speaking of creativity, egg cartons make wonderful disposable paint palettes for your kids: use the compartments to hold various colors of poster paint, and the lid as a place to lay down the paintbrush. For easy clean-up afterwards, just close the lid and toss the whole egg carton into the trash. Or, de-clutter your office desk drawer by removing the lid from the egg carton and using the bottom tray to sort paper clips, rubber bands, thumb tacks, staples and other tiny office accessories. Want more fun ideas for your egg carton recyclabes? Get inspired by these nifty ideas on how to re-use egg cartons from CultCase.com, a culture and online art magazine.  They’ve thought of everything, from goggles to flowers to lamps.

Devorah Sperber’s art hangs by several thousand. Two Sundays ago, my brother Chad suggested that we take advantage of "Be a Tourist in Your Own Town Day". New Hanover County museums were open to the public free of charge, encouraging residents to take advantage of the cultural opportunities available to us. After picking up the "art" Chad and I had made in a glass blowing class the day before (marbles this time), Pascal, Chad, Cara, Baby Carter and I set out for the Cameron Art Museum. This was 3-month-old Carter’s first dose of the cultural arts, and he didn’t seem too impressed; he slept through the entire visit. But one art installation really impressed the rest of us: After the Mona Lisa 2 by visual artist Devorah Sperber. Ms. Sperber uses everyday items like beads, pipe cleaners and marker caps to represent pixels of well-known images (The Last Supper, The Mona Lisa, Andy Warhol’s Tomato Soup Can, Dr. Spock from Star Trek, etc.). Her favorite medium is thread. The installation of an inverted Mona Lisa that we saw is comprised of 5,184 spools of thread hanging from metal chains. Because Sperber’s work is meant to explore the links between art, science, and technology in the digital age, a viewing sphere in front of the installation allows you to see the image as the eye would normally see it (as a smaller, right-side-up, un-pixelated version). This article gives a great overview of Devorah Sperber as an artist (you can see a picture of her too).  

Thread company Coats & Clark provides partial funding for Sperber’s thread spool works. We couldn’t help but wonder if my Mom (a seamstress by trade with an extensive collection of threads, fabrics, and sewing supplies) has enough thread to make her own art installation. What iconic image could we make with her thread? Like all good art, this installation got my creative juices flowing and has inspired me to look at things differently. I can’t wait to find a way to introduce a Sperber-esque idea into my own life. Meanwhile, in researching this blog post, I found a great decorating suggestion for Chad’s bathroom, a VW Bus made of flower decals on a shower curtain. Now that’s what I call ‘groovy’.

Some of my fondest memories of growing up were the times I spent at my great Aunt Lorena’s house. Aunt Lorena always let me stay up late to watch The Johnny Carson Show with her while we ate a late-night snack together. I ate my first nachos (the kind that come in the Old El Paso kit) with her during one of my stays, and she even let me drink soda right before bed! Aunt Lorena always kept a glass of Pepsi sitting on her nightstand to enjoy as she read romance novels into the wee hours.  

While Aunt Lorena immersed herself in romance stories in her downstairs bedroom, I was in the one of the guest bedrooms upstairs reading the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries that used to belong to my older cousins. After reading into the night, I would eventually fall asleep. I didn’t sleep in too late, though. It was too much fun to drink the ready-mixed chocolate milk Aunt Lorena kept in the fridge with my breakfast. Later, I would go upstairs to brush my teeth with Aquafresh toothpaste. That striped toothpaste was infinitely cooler than the plain white paste we used at home. While in the upstairs bathroom, I’d sit at the vanity with its electric magnifying mirror and pretend that I was the glamorous Nancy Drew.

The thrill of those mysteries still infects me on occasion. A couple of years ago, I read a book by author Ellen Elizabeth Hunter. She loves the charming historic areas of downtown Wilmington and has set several of her murder mysteries in our town: Murder at the Azalea Festival, Murder on the Ghost Walk, Murder at Wrightsville Beach and more. Now, every time I go to The Pilot House restaurant on the Cape Fear River, I think of the heroine in Murder on the Ghost Walk whose physical description is uncannily close to that of Nancy Drew.

While walking downtown recently, I stopped in at the new headquarters for Una Luna World Gallery on 226 South Front Street. Una Luna has been around for years, but they just recently set up shop in a building with lots of local history (old-timers will know it as the old Taste of Country breakfast buffet). This import company was started by two teachers looking to supplement their meager income.  The business eventually grew to a full-time venture, specializing in importing handcrafted products from Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. I met the owner, Marcus (pictured here), who really knows his stuff! As I admired baskets, artwork, purses, and home décor items, Marcus told me great stories about the people that make them, the materials they use, their techniques and their inspiration.

When he learned about my business, Marcus immediately went to find The Bon Bon Basket. The Bon Bon Basket is made from savannah grass and raffia by the women of the Chani region of Zimbabwe. "Why is it called The Bon Bon Basket", I asked. Although lovely, it certainly didn’t look the ideal way to store bon bons to me! I had finally stumped Marcus; he didn’t know. Back home, I sleuthed on the internet, but my research proved futile. So far, here are my hypotheses based on the clues I have found:
1) It has a round hole in the middle that looks like a mini bon bon. 
2) It is made with grasses that are tinted pink and brown which we all know are ideal bon bon colors. 
3) "Bon" means good and "bon bon" means doubly good. The craftsmanship on this basket is so very well done, perhaps its maker just declared it "bon bon".

Looks like I’ll be on this case for a while…

In addition to keeping regular store hours, Una Luna World Gallery supports local artists and features an artist each month with "Full Moon Fridays" (always on the Friday closest to the full moon). The event includes live music and a wine tasting. If you’re in the area, go check them out, and see if you can find more clues to solve the mystery of The Bon Bon Basket.