Sports and Leisure: Part One

Hello everyone!
I tried to get Shirley to co-host this one with me but she mumbled something about not having time for sports or leisure then she wandered off to try to stir up some trouble with Dicky Moore.

I guess I'll have to snark this one up all alone as I take a look at some of our favorite classic stars enjoying outdoor activities, leisure time.

Carole Lombard enjoys a day on the tennis court. This gal is competitive so whoever was on the receiving end of those lobs probably ended up in the ER with a shin splint and a bruised rib cage. Take it easy, Carole!

Rita Hayworth and husband, Orson Welles take a stroll around their estate. (Counting down the hours until Kev drops by and mentions wanting to throw Orson in the pool!) 

Noel Neil is picture perfect as she relaxes by her pool. (Somewhere Dorothy Lamour is shooting her hate daggers for stealing her look!)

Audrey Hepburn enjoys a quiet moment with a gorgeous view. (There are probably some sad tourists down below hoping to get her attention only to be denied. That's what you get for blocking Audrey's sun!)

Alla Nazimova strikes a pose near her pool. (It's great that she can focus since somebody set her flat iron on high that day. An umbrella prop can only distract from an unfortunate hair situation so much!)

Sean Connery enjoys a day of sailing. (Since Sean is still with us and he probably still owns those shorts, wears them for outings I won't say a bad word.)

Believe it or not, I lay on uncomfortable benches wearing exactly that when I read outdoors just like Marilyn Monroe.

I also wear a mens vest and dress slacks when I hoe my flower beds as Victor McLaglen demonstrates here. 

Lucille Ball gets ready for a night of bowling. (No word on if she beat Ricky by 100 pts then went on to rub it in for hours while piercing his eardrums!)

Joan Crawford enjoys some downtime next to her pool with daughter, Christina Crawford.  (Even the little dog can't bare to look at this fake photo op!) 

Tab Hunter shows off that perfect physique as he prepares for a horseback ride. (I'm just angry at the photographer for not suggesting some short, shorts. Sure jeans are practical but they just aren't as fun!)

John Barrymore and Clark Gable enjoy some skeet shooting on John's vast estate that overlooked Beverly Hills and the valley below. (I'll be featuring this grand estate built by King Vidor in a future post.)

If I could get away with wearing this on the golf course I would certainly do it. Jean Harlow is perfection as always. On a serious note; Can you imagine being behind Jean on the golf course?  It's girls like her that would ruin your handicap, make you lose a dozen golf balls then have nightmares for a week over not running up to her at the risk of going to jail. 

Thanks for stopping by and I do hope that you're getting to enjoy your own sports and leisure activities.

See ya soon!

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What Are You Watching? Summer Edition: Part One

It's been awhile since we've had a fun discussion on what everyone has been watching so I thought I would start it off with some of the shows I've gotten into lately. Not surprisingly, most of the series I've really enjoyed recently are brought to you by the BBC.

With most of my favorite shows on hiatus here in the states, like Boardwalk Empire, The Newsroom, Veep, Criminal Minds, Downton Abbey and Magic City, I veered towards some BBC original series and boy was I pleasantly surprised at what I found.

First, I was turned on to Sherlock by a couple of friends in the UK and once I found the first two seasons I fell in love with Benedict Cumberbatch and now I'm counting the days until the now very popular actor, wraps up Season 3 of the hit show.  (The latest is it will air in 2014) With only 3 episodes per season, which are over an hour long, each one is perfection from the acting, the scripts to the cinematography which manages to make you forget that this take on one of our most beloved literary characters takes place in modern day Europe. It offers everything that I had hoped the American version, Elementary fails to deliver. (Sorry to any Elementary fans out there!)

Benedict Cumberbatch who plays Sherlock and Martin Freeman who plays the incomparable, Watson in the BBC series.

Some of the best scenes are when the two first meet and become flat mates. Sherlock's digs are exactly how we had hoped they would be.

Watson gets his first glimpse of what he's in for.

If you're familiar with the comedic actor, Freeman's previous work like the original BBC series, The Office or The Robinson's you know you're going to get some laugh out loud moments when the two actors go at one another and match wits.

 Una Stubbs plays their landlady, Mrs. Hudson and she is delightful in all of her scatterbrained but motherly glory.

 Sherlock, using that brilliant mind to solve cases with modern day gadgets. 

He's so eccentric and clever. I have to say it again that this series is one of the most brilliant shows of the last decade. Well done, BBC!

The modern day Sherlock has it's fair share of intriguing villains for our detective to play cat and mouse with.

My favorite episode of the first two seasons is The Hounds of Baskerville (S2, Ep2)

The mastermind at work!

While I'm on the Benedict love train, I also caught the mini series, Parade's End which originally aired on the BBC in 2012 and starred the talented actor. If you're a fan of Ford Madox Ford's books then you won't be disappointed in this adaptation of my favorite from his stellar repartee. Visually they've outdone themselves and the casting was brilliant. As you weave your way through the five episodes in the series you cheer for Christopher Tietjens while knowing his journey is often heartbreaking and surreal.

 The aristocrats of Old England, holding on to their lavish lifestyles during The Great War.

 Rebecca Hall plays the vindictive, cruel wife, Sylvia Tietjens in the five part series. While often deplorable, she fills the harlot shoes perfectly and she looks gorgeous while doing so. 

 Our feisty little suffragette,  Valentine Wannop is played by Adelaide Clemons.

 A very blonde, Benedict Cumberbatch, steals our hearts as Christopher Tietjens.

 The costumes and sets are worth mentioning.

 Rupert Everett is delightful as the supportive and insightful older brother, Mark Tietjens.

 For our horse lovers, like Lindsay. 

 The most insincere and dangerous smile in England.

 Tietjens comrades are so The Three Stooges that we are given a few great laughs in the series.

 So many quirks that make the lead even more endearing.

 The scenes between the brothers are some of my favorites.

 So troubled! That wife of his. She would have put lesser men in their graves.

 For the ladies!

 If you're not a fan of tragic love stories there are plenty of scenes that depict the tragedies and struggles of wartime, England.

 We also get a lot of Sylvia's smarmy and inept suitors.

 She may look like a lady but she is no lady!

 I screen grabbed this one because I have two of those identical jars on my dresser. Too bad I don't have those long red locks and yards of lace to wrap my body in at night. ha ha

 Cumberbatch reporting for duty and looking quite handsome in his uniform. 

 Stealing scenes with just one expression.

 Lots of fur and attitude for days!

 We're taken back to 1912. 

 Such sweetness and I love that sweater!

Then back to Sylvia to remind us that money and breeding doesn't always buy happiness, morals or even a proper steam iron.

I didn't want to give too much away here in case you have been inspired to watch either Sherlock or Parade's End.

Have you seen either of the two series? If so I can't wait to get your thoughts on them or anything that comes to mind after reading, please discuss in comments. What have you been watching this summer? 

In Part Two, I'll be featuring more brilliant shows from the BBC like Ripper Street, the sequel, Upstairs, Downstairs and Call the Midwife. 

Until then, thanks so much for stopping by!
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