AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...

"There are no mistakes in tango. It's not like life. If you make a mistake, you just tango on". That's Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, in one of my favorite movie quotes ever. Of course, the film eventually proves Pacino's character wrong, for it turns out that life is like tango - if you make a mistake, you find your feet again and tango on.

I don't know what inspired me for this post tonight, I am sure it's not the famous mistake at this year's Oscars. I guess I wanted to share my favorite quote with you.

To say that we should learn from past mistakes is a (very right) cliche. I believe that even worse is to build mistake upon mistake, never recognizing that something is going or has gone terribly wrong.

There are scenes of sewing and fashion in Scent of a Woman, which contributes to my love for the film. I think Pacino's performance was sublime. Like James Franco in 127 Hours, Pacino was not simply acting in that film - he was teaching others how to act.

Have a good night, always with beauty and a book! 🌹❤💄💄💄💋
#alpacino #scentofawoman #oscars #acting #jamesfranco #sewing#fashion #tango #movies

THE LITTLE THINGS? THEY WEREN'T LITTLE

I could never stomach the ending of The Little Prince, or that of the Little Mermaid, or the Little Match Girl! [SPOILERS] I don't care if we are supposed to learn to accept death, and of course we must: I've lost many loved ones, including my collie, Lady, whom I loved more than anything or anyone. However, I will never accept that these favorite literary characters had to die. (And let me not start on the list. How about Anthony in Candy Candy, or Paul in Dombey and Son???????). Anyway, here I am with some prized possessions, my Little Prince mugs! I have them in my study at home, to inspire me!

I bought these amazing mugs from Coffee Island. I bought one a week, getting two before the collection run out. They are absolutely beautiful and a joy to have.

I love my flat, my books and all of my things. Still, the neighbors in my building are so noisy it's tough to live here. Thankfully, I got books: books give strength in unhappy moments.

I never tire to read The Little Prince. It is unusual, atmospheric, in some sense it is truly alien. It is a masterpiece.

Enjoy your Friday! You can't beat that Friday feeling. Always with beauty and a book xxx ❤🌹💋💄💝
#bookblogger #thelittleprince #thelipstickpapers #books #candycandy#dombeyandson #thelittlemermaid

EULIMENE, THE NYMPH OF SAFE HARBORAGE, AND OTHER SEA TALES

It's easy to understand why the sea Goddess Thetis, wife to Peleas and mother to Achilles, couldn't stop missing the Mediterranean, eventually leaving her husband to return to her home beneath the waves. As years go by, I love the sea more and more. It was first dip in the sea for the year today! Nothing beats the first time you are in the sea after the long winter. Tiredness virtually gets out and is carried away by the water. I guess it is worth to endure winter just for the first time the weather is nice enough to get back to sea.

Thetis lived deep down in the water, with her father Nereas, a sea God, also called the old man of the sea. The Nereids (daughters of Nereas) were fifty. These included Ipponoe (meaning the nymph who knows the minds of horses), Doto (means giving, she was responsible for giving a good seafare to sailors), Eulimene (the nymph of good harborage), Kalianassa (beautiful Queen), Ianassa, and others!

Thetis was a marine Goddess known for her good heart and hospitality. For the Greeks, Xenia, hospitality, was a religious value. Thetis had given hospitality to the God Dionysus, and Hephaestus, and she was therefore highly valued. Despite the pain caused by the death of her beloved son Achilles, Thetis found the courage to go on.

Enjoy the sea today or, if you live inland, have a look at sea images on the World Wide Web. It's nearly as good! Xxx
🌹👠❤💋💝
#sea #mediterranean #Greece #Cyprus #Greekgods #Greekmythology#beauty #thelipstickpapers #beautyblogger

I WILL ONLY TAKE CHRISTIAN GREY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Can you believe that I read Fifty Shades Darker before Fifty Shades of Grey? I had lent the first book to a friend but, dying to get into the series, I turned to the second book 😀 So I was plunged immediately into Ana's misery and near self-starvation after the breakup from Christian. It is because of the unusual immediacy of the book that, when she made up with Christian and brought him back home, I felt happy too! Did I like the Darker film? Of course!

I had found the Fifty Shades of Grey film good, but not intense enough. It was romantic and fun to watch, but lacked the tension and anxiety of the book. Darker is a different story; it is intense, sexier, and full of chemistry between the leads! And I love Jamie Dornan!

I watched the film with a group of girl friends, which made the whole experience fantastic fun! Most of the audience were women. We clapped and participated throughout 🌹

After the Fifty Shades saga, I read some more so-called erotic romance books. None were as good. Eventually, I stopped buying them, returning to my normal fare, which is classics, y/a and fantasy! For romance, I will only take Christian Grey, thank you very much.

I am so looking forward to the third film! 💋🌹💄💝💄💝😀#fiftyshadesofgrey #fiftyshadesdarker #christiangrey #jamiedornan#bookblogger

NEEDLESS TO SAY

"Come over, there's plenty of food... [list of dishes follows] ... eat with us"! This is what I hear everywhere I go, from the petrol station to shops to student parties! It's the Thursday where the Carnival period begins: everybody is in a happy mood, eating and celebrating!

Though I always loved the carnival, I became really interested during my literary studies. I simply loved Shakespeare's festive comedies, such as As you Like It, where everybody is in disguise to great comic and dramatic effect. From Shakespeare criticism I got, of course, into the work of Mikhail Bakhtin on festivity, carnival and the carnivalesque. I was fascinated by the thought of carnival as disruption, misrule, but somehow also connected to a deeper truth!

(Needless to say I love the burlesque and artist Dita Von Teese).

In the pics you can see my good friend Mike Orphanides, himself in the amazing Harlequin make up and costume, creating the look of the former Carnival Queen in Limassol. He had just finished making up this year's Queen, all in Mediterranean blue!

Eventually, I felt too embarrassed to eat on the street with people I didn't know at all. I had a pitta halloumi sandwich at Costa Coffee (very good and also traditional). But I regret not joining some street party now! Maybe next year 😀

Have a good evening, always with beauty and a book! ❤💋🌹💄👠
#carnival #carnivalesque #mikhailbakhtin #shakespeare #asyoulikeit#festivity #cyprus #limassol #τσικνοπεμπτη #food #costacoffee

TEASER FOR THURSDAY

A lovely carnival day today! In Cyprus, this is the day when the King and Queen of the festival formally open festivities, there's party on the streets and people eat meat roasted on the spit plus (syrupy) sweets! Complete post coming soon! 💋🌹💝💋#carnival #cyprus #festival#beauty #τσικνοπέμπτη