When you walk in a dream
But you know, you’re not dreaming signore
Scuzza me, but you see
Back in old Napoli, that’s amore
COURTING IN HOLLYWOOD | BEGUILING HOLLYWOOD.
This is the part where I blurt something out — isn’t the Mister just adorable? I get to say that, it’s Valentine’s Day. Another admission: in this picture I look like I tower over him, but it was taken by the most talented woman and wonderful friend, Portraits : Heidi Gutman Photography, long, long, ago and I was standing on a coffee table. This coffee table was a studio… hand-me-down. In the late nineteen forties you could have seen it in a number of films, like My Dear Secretary.
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Now, a silly little coffee is not the kind of thing you register watching old films, and you can’t see the coffee table in our portrait, but if you collect the work of certain photographer… not Heidi… you might have already seen it, quite, QUITE clearly.
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I’d better explain. I’ve mentioned before that I used to live in a house in the Hollywood Hills with the Mister and my best friend. We always called it a failed Usonia – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia design. The living room, however, was a thing of beauty: two soaring walls of glass looking over a courtyard garden. Skunks, birds, and yours truly were known to walk right into the floor to ceiling, seemingly invisible, crystal clear panes. No matter, all of us were too lightweight to cause any damage.
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At the time we frequently left the house in the care of any friend who needed a place to crash when we were all called away at once on various different movies, shot on location. Once we returned home, we, very social young things then, would hop around to plays and parties, and gallery openings. Imagine my surprise when I saw a large format, silver nitrate photograph, of a biker boy, clothed only in leather jacket and steel toed boots, STANDING in the middle of my architectural living room, on top of my coffee table.
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Quite a rambling little post here, but that happens when you get to be my age. Happy Valentine’s, poppets! May your day be full of love and laughter.
Happy Valentine’s Day you two 🙂
And to you two!!! At our age it’s a quiet and cozy thing, but that just may be the best 😉 .
Love the photo!
Thank you! Heidi is a great portraitist.
Cute couple, even if you are on the table 🙂
That was one sturdy coffee table!
Wonderful! 😀
I think you’re in Europe… So I’ll wish a wonderful weekend after Valentine’s!
I once worked with a woman named Laraine Day. Her name was no accident, her mother was a huge fan of the movie star.
It’s a great sounding name, isn’t it! Happy Valentine’s!
Beautiful photo! Happy Valentine’s!
Hi Vicky, I’m here via Lost in Arles and very grateful to dear Heather for introducing your fantastic blog.
I fell in love at first sight and enjoyed for a long while the archives. Signed up instantly and added to my blog roll.
Looking forward to many wonderful surprises to come.
Your new fan
Natalie http://jewelyettofind.blogspot.ca/
Thank you, Natalie. You’re just up the coast from me, well about 17 hour drive… I followed you as well, via the wonders of Google+. Happy, happy, Valentine’s!
Such a Perfect Couple and a gorgeous portrait. Happy Valentine’s Day to Mr and Mrs Lester!
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, George! Full moon tonight, the Snow Moon. I just love the way that sounds! xox, V
A very happy Valentine’s Day to you both!
Happy Valentine’s weekend to a warm heart in the land of snow! (And a special rub behind the ears for Ben the Collie, he might just be the cutest dog EVER.)
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Mr. Lester. With loads of Love and loves of warm hugs. (?) I am now on the hunt for Biker Boy Photo and his boots!
Do you know, at the time I was so scandalized it never occurred to me to get a print! And now… Let’s just say I looked in Google images and quickly had to avert my eyes 😉 .
I had to avert my eyes after a few hours too!!
Dearest V
Isn’t Mister just the matinee idol. One imagines him in musicals, or proper romantic comedies.
The Dandy agrees with M. Lanier, it seems unfair to allude to said semi-nude biker with put providing the evidence!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
The Mister and I are sitting on the couch, trying to figure out how to find the image. Hope your weekend in chilly old London is warm with love. xox, V
Very lovely portrait :). Do you still have the coffee table?
We were hard on furniture (and the steel toed boots didn’t help). For a while I used the table outside in the garden and when I left the house in the canyon I pried the ruined top off and took the base with me. I’m looking at it right now, with a glass top 😉 .
How lovely!
I like the idea of a “Handsome couple” on my coffee table instead of a “coffee table” book! Here is looking at you Kids!
It’s a beautiful photo of a very beautiful couple and there’s nothing I can add to all the previous comments except my Valentine wish.
And also, it’s much better to be on.top of a table than under one!*
*unless, maybe, you’re Mary Astor!
Just revisiting this wonderful post…. You should have your own 1950’s T.V. sitcom… “Mr. & Mrs. Wonderful”! The picture says it all!