A FRONT PAGE WITH LIPSTICK

I think it's just about time for a Lipstick Papers Book Review, and here it is! The book I am holding in the two pics is Cyclogeography by Jon Day. This is a very pretty edition, but I have to say I am not excited with the book.

Day is now a university lecturer. Before doing his PhD he worked as a bicycle courier in London. This is his memoir. I had heard him on interview and reading parts of the memoir, which made me decide to buy.

The truth is, there are many interesting parts in the book, especially the descriptions of London and London streets. But it is often too heavy and pessimistic, and can get boring with long musings on philosophy.

The book in this pic is the newly released Your Beauty Mark, by Dita Von Teese. I love Dita Von Teese, and I suppose I could not ask for more than a front page with a lipstick!!! Looking forward to reading.

Have a good mid-week afternoon xxx

E.T. PHONE HOME

So much has been said about chocolate, it's difficult to write anything new. For me, the first literary impressions of chocolate came from Disney adventure comics and real life stories of explorers in distant regions of the earth. For both Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge, as well as the real life explorers, having plenty of chocolate bars could mean the difference between life and death!

Similarly, E.T., the eponymous favorite alien, survives on Earth because he can eat M&Ms. (At least this is what happens in my beloved book version of the story. I don't remember if they kept this in the film). Chocolate is highly nutritious and gives life-preserving energy in extreme circumstances.

Being a chocoholic and a lover of Ferrero Rocher I was ecstatic to see the super-size chocolate at supermarkets. Yum! Just looking at it makes you happy.

Here I am at home with another favorite - the Marks and Spencer chocolate with marshmallow. The glamor of London and high tea at your table!

Have a good and beautiful weekend xxx

FAMOUS FEMINIST HOLLYWOOD MEN

What do you do, when you see the most beautiful tiger print blouse at Mango? Of course, you buy it to wear at your violence against women speech. What do you do when you come across a nice piece of carrot cake after the speech? Of course, you eat it!!!

I made a public speech on violence against women last night and then gave a little reward to myself, with my favorite croissant sandwich at Costa Coffee, and carrot cake which I shared with a good friend.

In my speech I talked about violence in classic novels and violent women too. I said that men can be victims and stressed how important it is that men also have started to talk about gender, have joined the fight, and that famous actors like Harrison Ford can now comfortably say, "I am a feminist"!

Have a good night, and be well! Xxx

HAPPILY BRAINWASHED (AND HOW TO WRITE A MEMOIR)

How do you give a touch of class to casual clothing? Easy! You add a nice accessory such as a lace or knit scarf!

My trick is to imagine that I am wearing my clothes on the runway, or that a model wears them for me. Works miracles!

I have started to take more notice of what I wear, not because my budget increased (it didn't - minimal as always) but because of the influence of World Fashion TV. I watch the fashion channel all day and I have been happily brainwashed. One day I'll write a memoir about it.

The first fashion shows were staged in Paris by the English designer Charles Frederick Worth. Worth is considered the father of haute couture.

A famous fashion atelier was opened in the late 19th c by the fashion designer Lucille. More about Lucille in a later post.

Have a good start to the week! Xxx

THANKS!

In today's post I just want to say many thanks for reading this blog! A big hello and a big hug from Cyprus! :-)

BLONDE SENSATION

I flash my ID card at the post office assistant - a packet is waiting for me from Amazon! I am still a brunette on the ID card, it was all before I turned into a blonde sensation. I must get a new ID card, with the blonde me in the pic (note: the destination is not this strawberry tone, it is the ash blonde).

The book waiting for me is Garance Dore's Love x Style x Life. I had pre-ordered and had been counting the days!

I was not disappointed, because this is a lovely book, full of advice on style and fashion, and beautiful illustrations!

The cover is also amazing - pink, fresh and cool!

It was the perfect start to the day! ❤️

Bye for now, be well xxx

BREAKFAST FOR HEROES IN HOMER'S ILIAD

The ancient Greeks have fun with breakfast in Homer's Iliad, starting the day with wine, honey, dry wheat and milk!

Breakfasting plainly the other day, I was green with jealousy when I saw the fried egg and herbs bagel at Yahoo Food! Alas - gourmet cooking escapes me, and, as you know, I can hardly boil an egg.

Still, eggs are among my favorites, in any form. Eggs are miraculous for the hair and for many other things. We used to give boiled egg to Lady (my darling collie who died a few years ago) for a shiny coat!

Despite Homeric feasts, breakfasts in literature are memorable, yet often unpleasant! Who can forget the horrid breakfast poor Pip has with the nauseating Uncle Pumblechook in Great Expectations? Or the bread and water tossed at Jane as she leaves for Lowood in Jane Eyre? Such breakfasts are a metaphor for lack of love and home.

Have a good day, with beauty always with you😃

NEVER GIVE UP ON A GOOD THING

How do you know that clothing is of the best quality??? Answer: when you wash it 100 times in the wrong way, but still looks wonderful. (Warning: I don't suggest that you try this 😝

I washed this beautiful off-white cardigan from River Island at 40 degrees for nearly 10 (yes, 10) years feeling sure that this was the right temperature. I had read this on the label. Right?

Well, actually wrong! One day, I happened to look at the label. It said -shock, horror!!!- it said HANDWASH.

I was so shocked and repentant! You know how much I love everything I own. But I was not surprised that my cardigan had survived mistreatment. River Island clothes last forever.

Lessons learned: 1) read labels often. You may misremember the instructions. 2) Moderately priced clothes =fantastic quality!

I am also wearing a lovely faux bijoux ring priced €8 from I am! Don't get me wrong. When I am a millionaire (right now I am the opposite) of course I will occasionally shop from DSquared 2 and Louis Vuitton. But give up my chain stores and fast fashion favorites? Never! 😃

Have a great night xxx

LOOKING FOR THE SUMMER (THE GIRL WITH THE RED BIKINI)

I AM sure winter is great for literature and film -- think Frozen, the Snow Queen, the Long Winter in the Little House on the Prairie, and the Winter's Tale! The examples are endless.

Still, I hate winter. The long nights, the grey clouds, the rain -- none of these things agrees with me. I am summer-born and I love the summer more than anything!

Here is my take of Brigitte Bardot in a red bikini. The original is much more beautiful of course, but I very much enjoyed drawing this! Love the hibiscus too -- a flower that fares better under stress, especially if it is choking. I know nothing of gardening, but I heard this on Gardener's Question Time on BBC Radio 4. So it must be true.

Have a good start to the week, with beauty always with you!

GIRL STUFF

There is nothing like a girls' teenage guide that explains to girls that they should love their bodies, enjoy flirting and stand up for their rights! This is The Lipstick Papers book review, and tonight we have The Rough Guide to Girl Stuff by Kaz Cooke!

The book is part of the Rough Guides, a series which features some good titles and some not so good. This is because each book takes a strong viewpoint, which determines the whole content and tone of the book. If you agree, the book seems fine; if you disagree, it will be useless. For example, the Rough Guide to the search for aliens is, for me, useless - because the standpoint of the book is that there are no aliens and the search is futile.

Anyway, there are many great things about our book tonight, i.e. Girl Stuff. Sound advise on eating, sexual health and friendships, tolerance, explanations of where to go to if you have problems. It tells girls that feminism is great!

The one thing I don't like about this book is the illustrations. Yikes!!! They are really ugly. But if you are a teen, or want to give a guide book to a teen, this down to earth, practical and no nonsense book is for you!

Have a good night and be well heart emoticon