Norah Jones's Top Murder Ballads #MusicMonday

Norah Jones is one of the top selling recording artists of the past 10 years.  She is featured in Lucky Magazine's first music issue (August 2012).

Norah Jones

I used to belong to an Indian women's discussion forum, in which someone waxed indignant about Norah's alienation from her Indian roots (her father is Pandit Ravi Shankar).  I wrote, what positive incentive does Norah have to embrace her Indian roots, given that her father was out of her life during her childhood and youth?  To which someone agreed.

On the other hand, Norah is a champion of American music, and this playlist of murder ballads compiled for Lucky demonstrates this.  You will need to download the Spotify player to listen.  The ads between the songs are irritating, but that's Spotify's business model.

We had hoped to see Norah Jones in concert at Wolf Trap, but the concert was sold out before we could buy tickets.  It seemed only right, as we have seen her sister Anoushka Shankar perform live three times - and we got to chat with Anoushka at CD signings following two of the concerts.

10 Commandments of Cell Phone Use

July is nearly over, but only on Tuesday I did I learn that July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month, through PR for CableOrganizer.com, an eTailer of cell phone, electrical, telecom/datacom, home theater, cable and wire management products.

Let it be known that I hate mobile telephony.  I think that it's invasive.  I am really behind the times on technology: I have never scanned a mobile tag, never downloaded an "app."


CableOrganizer.com offers these "10 Commandments of Cell Phone Use," which should be only common sense and courtesy:

1. Respect those you’re with.

At some point or another, we’ve all been out with someone who has checked out of the one-on-one live conversation for a number of minutes to casually shoot the breeze with someone else via cell phone. If you make social plans with someone, they are the first priority and deserve your undivided time and attention.

2. Let voicemail handle non-urgent calls when appropriate.

Voicemail exists for a reason…it allows you to take note of non-emergency incoming calls without disrupting the environment you are currently in. If you’re at a teacher/parent conference, a meal with your family, a social function immersed in conversations, and other such situations, rest assured your voicemail will be there when a more suitable time to return the call presents itself.

3. Set a good example to the younger generation.

It’s no surprise that kids learn by example, so keep that in mind when you’re modeling cell phone behavior in front of the younger set—whether your kids or others. You teach them to say “please” and “thank you,” among other social graces, so why stop there? Mind your cell phone Ps and Qs in front of children and teens alike, and you’ll give them a better shot at becoming model, tech-savvy citizens themselves.

4. Wait to text, and save a life (yours).

When you drive and text at the same time, whether reading or composing, you’re not only taking your hands off the wheel, but your eyes off the road as well. No text message is worth the risk of injuring, or killing, yourself or others. Wait until you are safely parked to send and return text messages.

Don't multi-task and drive

See the remaining 5 tips:

Psssssst!

Recently, I received an email from PR for Freeman Beauty, and one of the Freeman brands that she promoted was Psssssst! the original spray dry shampoo.

Psssssst!

Psssssst!  That takes me back.  As I told PR for Freeman Beauty, I'm old enough to remember the classic Psssssst! radio spot, when Psssssst! was a Clairol brand:

Psssssst! – there’s something new / Psssssst! – instant spray shampoo / Clairol freshens your hair – instantly / with P-s-s-s-s-s-s-t / Psssssst! – is not a wet shampoo / oh, no / Psssssst! – is not a dry shampoo / oh, no / spray and brush is all you do / then go / ’cause Clairol freshens your hair – instantly / with P-s-s-s-s-s-s-t.

She wrote back:

Haha, I loved your response! That's right...the ORIGINAL! ... Also, I quite like your blog, you keep hinting at your "seasoned" age, but it's enlightening and refreshing to get perspectives other than the 20-something age group (this is coming from a 24 year old!).

I don't know whether to feel better or worse.  The last time I heard someone described as "seasoned," another person muttered, "yeah, like compost." :-)

Nina Simone - Love Me or Leave Me #MusicMonday

In my #MusicMonday feature Nina Simone performs Leonard Cohen's Suzanne, I promised that I would feature her cover of Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn's "Love Me or Leave Me."  Here she demonstrates her skills as a pianist, with a fugal interlude worthy of Glenn Gould!

Beauty #blogazons Weekly Roundup - July 20

A long list this week:

The Beauty Blogazons Weekly-Roundup

Sincerely Stephanie: Ever heard of a jelly gradient sandwich? Check out how Sincerely Stephanie combines these two techniques!
Beauty Thesis: Love + is an appropriate name for this gorgeous red (!?) eye shadow. Beauty Thesis shares the good, the bad and the awesome!
My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog: Laura is hosting a GIVEAWAY! 3 lucky readers will win the Smashbox Softbox Palette!
Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Lola from Lola's Secret Beauty Blog is all starry-eyed about the new Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night Shimmer Ink because it is so gorgeous and complex!
Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: The beautiful jellies of the Zoya Gloss collection are spotlighted on Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom
Mani Curiously: Check out E's yummy swatches & review of the NEW Zoya Fall Collection, Gloss!
Geniabeme Beauty Blog:: What is your favorite bright lippie? See which ones are Genia's favorite!
Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: How I (used to) style my long hair with a curling iron to create smooth waves. Added bonus....an easy messy side updo tutorial.
Mama Fashionista: Mama Fashionista is ecstatic over the new LUSH storefront at the Mall of Georgia! Find out why, and see if there is a LUSH coming to mall near you too!
The Beauty Book: Does your face resemble a slip-n-slide at the end of the day? Here are some GREAT tips and advice on how to combat oily skin!
Midnight Manicures shares with you the hottest new Independent polish company - Sea Lore and it's first release, Triton's Daughters Collection.
Beauty by Miss L: Have you used Korres Yoghurt Face Sunscreen SPF30? Miss L did and shares her thought about it.
Très Beau Glamour: Ever wondered what eye and lip combos you could create? Nay Denise shows four different lip and eye combinations that can be worn throughout the seasons.
Lisa's Nail Obsession: Do you like your moon's to show in a nail design? You've got to see this one!
Patty and Goldie's Day off: The Invention of the Jelly Sandwich, the possible truth about how this sandwich came to be.
Beauty Professor: Ever enchanted by multitasking products, The Beauty Professor reviews the lovely Le Metier de Beaute Creme Fresh Tints in Coral Nymph and Mystique.
Beauty Product Review: Have sensitive eyes? Check out MUFE Sens'Eyes Makeup Remover and see if it's right for you!
Ray Connect: No time for facial?? Get the glow of a facial... Now at Home only with Garnier Light 3 in 1 fairness facial. One product does it all!!
Ishah x Beauty: What's in the Influenster Summer Beauty VoxBox? Come and check out Ishah x Beauty to find out!
Captivating Claws: Are you a fan of pink + black?? Check out Captivating Claws' Weekly Water Marble!!
Spontaneous Chick: We've found great bath products from Clean Logic to make your skin look amazing and to save you time.
adore-a-polish: Wondering what Julep's latest lip product looks like? Check out swatches and a review on Camellia.
Vicerimus: Russian nail polish meets American one! Yulia is being a good girl, so she shows off her soft, ladylike duo manicure.
Cosmetics Aficionado: Red holo? Yes please! Read the review and check out the photos of Jade Vermelho Surreal nail polish.
All Things Beautiful: All Things Beautiful is hosting a Become Giveaway! Enter to win a Become Beauty Tinted Mineral Foundation quick!
Lacquered Lover: Glitters, metallic and even two holos make up the gorgeous new Butter London Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection!
Makeup Chronicles: Looking for the perfect summer highlighter? Check out this review for NARS' Illuminator in "Super Orgasm".
Amber Did It!: Swatches of the Sally Hansen Magnetics Collection.
Pinked Polish: This week Challenge is Gradients:) and don't forget to enter my 2 giveaways
Miakhymai: Check out what products Kae-Toya is reaching for most often!
DeyiMizu: See swatch of Essie's Off The Shoulder nail polish and find out how you can win one!
Perilously Pale: Does the new Pure Chromatics Palette from the Fall 2012 Yves Saint Laurent Collection finally make a khaki lover out of Perilously Pale? Let's find out!
Beauty Binge: Don't let the summer heat frazzle your tresses! Beauty Binge gives you some tips on caring for and styling your hair during the long, hot summer.
Shades Of Beauty, Inc.: REVIEW: Sinful Colors...Not just Nail Polish anymore...
Baking Beauty: Tame your frizz and flyaways with Foxy Curls!

32 fashion and beauty terms that should be banned

Kiss and Tell had an article on 30 fashion and beauty terms that should be banned, based on overuse/abuse:

RT @kissandtell: 30 fashion and beauty terms that should be banned bit.ly/MilAMq make that 32: add "iconic" "curated"
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 11, 2012

"iconic" was defs on my shortlist ! RT @thestylepage: RT @kissandtell: make that 32: add "iconic" "curated"
— Kelly (@Kissandtell) July 11, 2012

• Curated: Does this pertain to one who has the care and superintendence of something, especially one who is in charge of a museum, zoo, or other place of exhibit? See curator.  "Selected" and "chosen" are better, less pretentious words.
• Iconic Does this pertain to an image used in religious devotion or worship?  Oh, wait, in the case of Marilyn Monroe, it does:

Dinah Washington - What a Difference a Day Makes #MusicMonday

As I wrote, I got hooked on Female jazz vocalists, especially the classic women jazz singers.  I remember Ella Fitzgerald as an older woman appearing on network TV, and I knew that she was renown for her scat singing.  I didn't know how silky her voice could be.  Then, of course, there is Billie Holliday.

When I first heard Dinah Washington, I wondered "Who is she?" "Where has she been all my life?" which betrays my ignorance more than anything else. Here she sings what is probably her best known song 'What A Difference A Day Makes' and picks up the tempo with 'Makin' Whoopee.' Louis Jordan and his band back her in this TV segment.

And the announcer is none other than our prez Ronald Reagan!  What could be better??!!

Vive le Quatorze!

July is the month for national celebrations. July 1 was Canada Day and July 4 was Independence Day. Today, July 14, is France's turn. It's Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789. The Bastille was a symbol of the absolute power of Louis XVI (he later died by the guillotine, as did his wife Marie Antoinette). Bastille Day also commemorates the birth of the French republic.

The French celebrate Bastille Day in grand style, including an air show where the tricolor is flown and a fireworks extravaganza at the Eiffel Tower.

Bastille Day air show

Fireworks extravaganza at Eiffel Tower 

Beauty #Blogazons Weekly Roundup - July 13

Beauty Blogazons weekly roundup - July 13

Beauty Binge: What good is your make-up if it's melting down your face? Beauty Binge helps you win the war against summer meltdown!

My Newest Addiction Beauty Blog : Laura goes crazy over an oldie but a goodie: MAC Azalea Blossom.

Beauty Product Review: Have you heard the Bzz? Check out my Smooth 'N Shine Keratin Power Semi-Permanent Hair Tamer review and see if it's worth all the Bzz!

Mani Curiously: E's loving Essie's Mirrored Metallics collection! Check out Penny Talk and her review of this shiny new stunner!

The Lacquerologist: It's time for The Lacquerologist's six month blogiversary Nail Art Contest! Submit your manis now!

Ishah x Beauty: Ishah x Beauty explores skincare with Mary Kay and finds the best microdermabrasion product ever!

The Science Of Chic: Carly raves about the new Maybelline Beauty Balm! Find out why it's her favorite summer face product.

Spontaneous Chick: Learn how to make sugar scrubs and get some of my favorite recipes.

Amber Did It!:Matching mom & daughter watermelon nail art

Midnight Manicures: Follow Jeanie at Midnight Manicures as she takes you on an adventure with China Glaze's newest collection "On Safari".

Geniabeme Beauty Blog: Genia takes the Revlon Red Lipstick Challenge! Take a look at her red lips!

adore-a-polish Swatch of Julep O Canada!

The Beauty Professor: The Beauty Professor swatches all seven shades of the Rouge Bunny Rouge Fire Drops Loose Glitter Pigment...prepared to be dazzled!

iHeartPrettyPolish: Essie Rae showcases Revlon Facets of Fuchsia polish in her Friday Favorite with a Flair Post!

Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom: The new metallics from the Zoya fall collection, NYFW Diva, are featured.

Beauty Apocalypse: We found a primer that makes your make-up wear like armor and clears your skin!

Polarbelle: Venique Nail Lacquer has a fun new summer 2012 collection called Desire the Desired and can be compared with part of China Glaze On Safari.

Beauty by Miss L: Showed some of her favorite summer must have accessories.

All Things Beautiful: Shares a glitzy, shimmering, & gorgeous haul from Ricky's NYC featuring Mattese Elite Makeup & Nail Polish!

Shades of Beauty, Inc.: POLL: What products make up your DIY Spa Days?

Best #beauty business tweets

@nordstrombeauty will host chat w/ @napoleonperdis Th July 12 3-4pm ESTto celebrate launch of #cosmetics line hashtag #Nordbeauty
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 5, 2012

Ex-President Sarkozy's home, offices searched - news.yahoo.com/ex-president-s… via @YahooNews suspected illegal campaign financing by L'Oreal heiress
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 3, 2012

@findation is a global project to create the world’s largest database of matching foundation shades.
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 3, 2012

@MyBeautyBunny #India government mulling ban on animal testing for cosmetics cosmeticsdesign.com/Regulation-Saf… via @CosmeticsDesign pressure from PETA
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 2, 2012

#Lipstick effect: Why women buy more #cosmetics when times are tough deseretnews.com/article/865558… to attract a mate?
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 3, 2012

Petula Clark - "Downtown" #MusicMonday

Petula Clark might well have been the top female pop vocalist of the mid-1960s, with hits such as "Downtown" "Colour My World" "I Know A Place" "My Love" "Don't Sleep in the Subway."

Here's my favorite: the peppy "Downtown":



Petula Clark today:

Lipsticks for #nationalkissingday

Today is National Kissing Day, and I'd like to mark recent additions to my lipstick collection:

#nationalkissingday @LolaCosmetics Naughty/Nice two tone lipstick lolacosmetics.com/NaughtyNiceLip…
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 6, 2012

#nationalkissingday @nycnewyorkcolor City Duet 2-in-1 Lip Color in Waldorf Roses drugstore.com/nyc-city-duet-…
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 6, 2012

#nationalkissingday Original Tangee Lipstick @VTStore was often a woman's first #cosmeticpinterest.com/pin/1069605598 … via @pinterest

— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 6, 2012

#nationalkissingday new @karen_murrell lipstick shades: Carnation Mist, Fuchsia Shock, Coral Dawn, and Sandstorm samsstylingroom.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/kar…
— thestylepage (@thestylepage) July 6, 2012

Thanks Karen for sending me your newest lipstick shades!

Patriotic makeup

Beautypress had a feature on Patriotic Makeup Looks for 4th of July incorporating red, white, and blue.

Patriotic makeup - from beautypress.com

Get the look:

• Red - Wear a cherry red stain. it "would guarantee the light and airy feel you love, with the lasting power you desire!" 
• White - Apply white eye shadow to your inner corner.  "It instantly brightens your entire eye up and gives you that wide awaken look!"  Apply a neutral skin tone color to the entire lid.  
• Blue - Apply a blue eyeliner to your upper and/or lower lash line. "It can really make your eye color pop and make the whites in your eye look whiter!"

Patriotic nails - Isadora, OPI for Merle Norman, Le Métier de Beauté - Updated for July 4

Isadora, which is from Sweden, posted this picture of patriotic nails on Facebook:

Patriotic Nail art from Sweden's Isadora

Isadora Wonder Nail polish shades:

• no 603 Tip White
• no 702 Blue Jeans
• no 653 Chelsea Red

And don't ask me about the red hands! :-)

Merle Norman likes to trumpet its "Made in the USA" credentials. OPI created its Americana nail set to celebrate Merle Norman’s heritage. It features red, white and blue mini OPI Nail Lacquers. The Americana nail set features:

• Hussy - a ravishing red polish. No, it's not named for a brazen woman who's got her mitts on your man (and believe me, I've had to deal with one), it's named for a classic car. 
• Alpine Snow
• Yoga-ta Get this Blue! 
• RapiDry Top Coat

OPI for Merle Norman Americana nail set

And once again, my apologies for the lousy picture quality, but it's the best I could find. :-(

See set from Le Métier de Beauté:

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

We recognized Canada Day; we would be remiss to not recognize our very own Fourth of July:

American Flag

We associate the 4th of July with parades, barbeques, and fireworks, but let's take a few moments today to reflect on The Declaration of Independence.

Read Declaration of Independence on the National Archives web site.

Listen:

Audio mp3 Reading by Bill Barker, who portrays Thomas Jefferson at Colonial Williamsburg
Audio mp3 Reading by John F. Kennedy

The Declaration of Independence closes with these words:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.


Indeed, several signers suffered for the cause of independence.

It surprised me to hear a man from Eritrea and a man from Pakistan say that they had memorized the Declaration of Independence in their home countries.

The Declaration of Independence is housed at the National Archives in Washington, DC. I was privileged to see the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights arise from out of their vaults prior to visitor hours.

Nina Simone performs Leonard Cohen's Suzanne #MusicMonday

After my recent #MusicMonday features on Leonard Cohen's Suzanne and Female jazz vocal compilations, it seems fitting that I feature Nina Simone's unique styling of "Suzanne":

In the 60s, Nina Simone was known for protest songs such as "Mississippi Goddam." She also performed songs such as The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun," Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse's "Feeling Good," Screamin' Jay Hawkins's "I Put a Spell on You," and "Ain't Got No/I Got Life" from the musical Hair with her one-of-a-kind styling.

In a future #MusicMonday feature, I'll present Nina Simone's cover of Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn's "Love Me or Leave Me."

Canada Day

Canadian Flag

July 1 is Canada Day. Warm wishes to all our Canadian readers on that day!

Canada Day marks the joining of the British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces (the Province of Canada was divided into Ontario and Quebec) on July 1, 1867.  Happy 145th birthday, Canada!

Want to mark Canada Day with music?  Here are The Style Page's picks: