MAY
2010
14

Manolo the Columnist: Cage from Kate Spade

Manolo says, here is the Manolo’s latest column for the Express of the Washington Post.

Dear Manolo

Recent times have not been good to me in the love/life department and I’ve decided it’s time to brush myself off and start anew. I have a summer of many events coming up and would like to look superfabulous to turn the boys heads. I’ve never put the investment into a particularly fabulous shoe and I’m wondering if you have any suggestions.

Katie

Manolo says, many of the Manolo’s friends are under the misapprehension that young men pay attention to the shoes of the young ladies.

This is not the case.

Unless the young man is the shoe fetishist, or the differently persuaded fancy lad (who would in no case be interested in you romantically) it is unlikely that any young man would even notice your shoes. Indeed, asked to choose good shoes for their girlfriends, most young men would pick the red plastic stripper shoes, with the lucite platforms, and the six inch spike heels.

And, yet the beautiful, sexy, super fantastic shoes are vitally important, because when you wear the beautiful shoes you feel better about yourself, more confident and self-assured. You stand taller and walk straighter, which is exactly what the boys do respond to. In the other words, most men cannot distinguish between the t-strap and the ankle-strap and yet, if your beautiful shoes make you feel more beautiful, you will be more beautiful to others.

Here is the Cage from Kate Spade, the sexy, sophisticated sandals guaranteed to make you feel good about yourself.

Cage Sandals from Kate Spade

MAY
2010
13
MAY
2010
13

Things Kitty Kelly Missed

Oprah Takes the Razor to Dr. Feel

Manolo says, wait until you see what she has in store for Dr. Oz.

MAY
2010
13

Lin Yu Chun Has the Record Deal!!

Manolo says, but he has still not be cast on Glee.

The big news

Sony Music said in a statement Thursday that Lin, the bowl cut-sporting singer whose rendition of ‘I Will Always Love’ on a TV talent show made him a star just a month ago, will release an album of Chinese and English songs in July.

“I still can’t believe this is real,” the 24-year-old singer says in the statement.

Excellent news, but still, not that which we really desire….

Lin Yu Chun on Glee (Artists Conception)

Do not forget, there is the Facebook group.

Whose Shoes Wednesday…The Answer

Manolo asked, whose shoes?

Anne Hathaway's Shoes

Manolo answers, it is the Anne Hathaway!

Congratulations to the Manolo’s internet friend Aimalyn for being the first to correctly identify this week’s personage of note.

MAY
2010
12

The Natural Colored Sandal Bootie from A Testoni

Natural Colored Sandal Bootie from A. Testoni

Manolo says, here you see the elegant and simple, natural-colored sandal bootie from A. Testoni. This is the sort of versatile seasonal shoe that the professional lady would wear with her simple linen shifts and pencil skirts and cropped pants. And those tiny flashes of red are the perfect peek-a-boo adornment.

What is most surprising to the Manolo is that this shoe has the very sensible 2 1/4 inches high heel. It looks much higher, does it not?

Whose Shoes Wednesday

Manolo asks, whose shoes?

Provocative Signs

Manolo says, our friend Miss Plumcake asks, is this progress?

On the other, I don’t really ever want to see ANYONE towering twelve stories above me all nips akimbo on my drive in to work.

What the Manolo is…

Manolo says, it is Tuesday, time to see what the Manolo is…

Listening to…

Watching…

Reading…

As you certainly already know the Manolo has been enjoying greatly the singing of Fritz Wunderlich and the leider music of Franz Schubert.

As for the movie Nine, it stars the Manolo’s favorite cobbler/actor together with three wonderful actresses, and the costumery is marvelous, and the music is moderately fun, and yet, still, the whole thing adds up to the big snooze.

MAY
2010
11

Photobombing with Brad Pitt

Manolo says, recently, the Manolo learned the new word: photobombing, defined as “the otherwise normal photo that has been ruined or spoiled by someone who was not supposed to be in the photograph appearing in the background.”

Here, for the example, are three such ruined photographs…

Brad Pitt, the Later Years

A middle-aged Mary Lou Retton in a candid moment

Claudia Schiffer and Matthew Vaughn, with unidentified hobo in background

Christian Louboutin Ronfifi Corset Boots For the Monday

Manolo says, it is Monday and you are happy to report that your Mother’s Day was not unpleasant.

Your children took time out from their very busy schedule of digital communication to present you with the bouquet of flowers and the card, and to accompany you to the brunch at that Italian place you like. What was truly sweet, however, was that during your celebratory brunch, they had the great good courtesy to keep their cellphones in their laps. It was so wonderful! Whenever you looked down the table you could even pretend they were praying, their heads bowed, their thumbs furiously working at perhaps their rosaries.

Less satisfying, was the appearance of your mother-in-law, Blanche, and her “old man” Jimmy, who were also present at the meal.

Blanche is the wonderful mother-in-law, the sort who is sensible enough to help when needed, but also sensible enough to keep out of your business when not. However, what is troubling, is that she appears to have dealt with widowhood by joining the motorcycle gang.

“They’re not a motorcycle gang,” answers Gary when you mentioned your fears to him last night

“Yeah, but what about his beard?,” you snap back, “and those awful biker outfits?”

“Jimmy’s alright. The dude looks like Santa Claus.”

“I’m not sure. He seems a little rough to me.” The image of two, stout, elderly people in matching red leather jackets and chaps, eating eggs benedict, still lingers.

“He’s a retired endocrinologist,” says Gary, “They ride a Honda Goldwing for criminy’s sake.”

But you are not placated. You are worried for Blanche’s safety, and perhaps more than the little bit jealous that she seems to be having so much fun on the other side of seventy, heading off to Big Sur while you are still chained to your desk.

What is needed now are boots!

Christian Louboutin Ronfifi Corset Boot

Look! It is the Christian Louboutin Ronfifi Corset Boots!

The exact sort of boots you would wear on the back of the giant motorcycle being piloted down the scenic coastal highway by Gary, except in this fantasy, Gary looks exactly like the young Lorenzo Lamas.

MAY
2010
07

In Jedem Klaren Bach

Manolo says, if you were to compile the list of things that make the Manolo exceedingly happy… Fritz Wunderlich singing Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin would be very near the top.

One of the great tenor voices, so filled with robust vitality, singing one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

And Wilhelm Müller’s poem is heartfelt simplicity itself.

Ich hört ein Bächlein rauschen
Wohl aus dem Felsenquell,
Hinab zum Tale rauschen
So frisch und wunderhell.

Ich weiß nicht, wie mir wurde,
Nicht, wer den Rat mir gab,
Ich mußte auch hinunter
Mit meinem Wanderstab.

Hinunter und immer weiter
Und immer dem Bache nach,
Und immer frischer rauschte
Und immer heller der Bach.

Ist das denn meine Straße?
O Bächlein, sprich, wohin?
Du hast mit deinem Rauschen
Mir ganz berauscht den Sinn.

Was sag ich denn vom Rauschen?
Das kann kein Rauschen sein:
Es singen wohl die Nixen
Tief unten ihren Reihn.

Laß singen, Gesell, laß rauschen
Und wandre fröhlich nach!
Es gehn ja Mühlenräder
In jedem klaren Bach.

And Schubert’s music is so good here, that it is even enough to make the Manolo look fondly on…

(more…)