Phantom of Hollywood

I float just out of sight

You turn around and I'm gone

Film can barely capture me

Just a whiff of perfumed air

To tell you if I'm near or was

I exist only in my author's imagination

Here and yet not here

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Cool Savory Velvet Decadence

Years ago, as a first-time waitress at a now-closed French/Creole restaurant in New Orleans, I learned how to make cappuccino, garnish with parsley (which I detest), and discovered what has

become my favorite soup. I was so broke in those early days, I absolutely lived off my shift meal, which always started with the largest bowl of Vichysoisse I could get and lots of French baguette. This soup was a sublime revelation. A few simple ingredients prepared easily meld into a decadent elixir. I know I'm waxing romantic, but trust me, this is more than soup.

With autumn and cool weather on the way, here's one last cold potage to say Au Revoir to summer!

Note - A lot of well-meaning people try to over-pronounce the name and sound smart by leaving off the S sound at the end of the name, like many French words. However, there are two SS's so you pronounce the S like a soft Z. VI-SHE SWAZ

Behold, the fragrant leek!

Vichysoisse a la Boheme

This is a rich soup, but I highly recommend you making it this way first, to taste its subtle

luxuriousness, before you change it and make it your own. As with everything, eat it in

moderation, with an otherwise light meal, and enjoy life!

Clean and chop 4 leeks (mostly white part, a little green is ok). Leeks are notoriously

gritty and it's really important to clean them thoroughly. Wash them first, then remove

the green and roots and make a cut through the leek, leaving about 1/2 inch at the end.

Turn it 90 degrees and make another cut through, fanning it out and rinsing it again

under running water, then cut 1/2 inch pieces and put them into a bowl of water.

Clean 4 to 5 potatoes and cut them into 1/4 inch slices. I prefer Yukon Golds. In the

original recipe, you would be instructed to peel the potatoes, but their thin peels don't

really "pollute" the smoothness of the soup and it's healthier. I put them in a bowl of

water too, to discourage oxidation.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large pot over high heat and add the drained leeks just as the

butter melts, then turn the heat down a bit, like medium/high. You don't want the leeks

to brown, but to "sweat" and soften. Stir occasionally and gently until they're soft and

translucent, about 10 mins.

Add in the drained potatoes and 3 cups of chicken stock (or veggie stock) to cover them.

If they're not completely covered, add more stock until they are. Cover with lid and turn

down the heat to a low simmer for 30 mins. When the potatoes are cooked through, turn

off and remove the pot from the heat and wait for it to cool. When cooled, take the

mixture in a few ladle-full batches and puree thoroughly in a blender or food processor,

adding in 1 cup of milk to one of the batches.Put the entire puree in a large bowl, then

blend in 1 1/2 cups of cream, 1 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp white pepper (or to taste).

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold. The cold really makes

a difference and I suggest making this a day in advance,to give the flavors a chance to

meld into perfection. Serves 4 generously. Don't forget the baguette to go with!!!

A good movie to watch, while sinking your teeth into this silky wonderful,

is Interview With A Vampire. It's a delicious French/Creole story that was filming

in New Orleans when I lived there. Later I was lucky enough to get invited to

Anne Rice's Halloween Party at her ex-convent haunted mansion, when she was

still the queen of the goths.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Fashion's Night Out Funny

As I wandered through my Melrose neighborhood, on a night filled with pretty people,

drinking pretty drinks, looking at pretty things...

THIS is what caught my eye and gave me quite the naughty schoolgirl giggle.

I don't care if I'm the only one... Laughing my way down Melrose...

Merci Marc Jacobs for being the humorous highlight to my Fashion's Night Out!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Synchronicity With a Gold Belt

Not long ago, I woke up from a dream obsessively thinking about a gold stretch belt I loved and

wore in high school, wishing I still had it and wondering why I ever let it go. A few weeks later,

I'm in Wasteland in Studio City, and discover a similar gold stretch belt, only $14, with a clasp

detail I actually prefer to the original. For some reason the universe wanted me to have this belt!

Who am I to argue with the fashion gods?

Can you see the monkey face the belt creates with the pillow? Love it when that happens!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Paint It Black

The end of summer is here. The ennui and angst are still with me and have developed French accents.

Searching searching searching for sincere originality. Sacrificing sanity in wait for inspiration.

Listening to the French voices in my head... I express my creative restlessness...

By painting my nails black.

Over The Top by Essie (gifted from TwoPointOhLA! picnic)

Madness and stylishness aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand-in-hand.

Hmmm, maybe I'm onto something.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

A Cold Taste of Spain

Moi and la Cuisine were never close friends, despite my loving cookbooks since I could

read and growing up watching all sorts of cooking programs and food-centered movies.

Lately though, I'm finding cooking inspiration and I want to share it with you!

I love soup and one of my favorites is perfect for hot summer weather, Gazpacho.

There are several versions, but I based this recipe on Gazpacho I once had at this groovy

Spanish restaurant in New Orleans many years ago. It's light, flavorful, healthy and

extremely easy to make!

This is one of those recipes that is open to interpretation, so I'll give you my appx.

amounts/measurements, but you can adjust anything to your taste. When I decide

to make any dish, I look up several versions of the recipe to get an idea of how its

done, then make it my own.

Allow me to suggest... Pay attention to your ingredients, buy the best you can afford,

organic when you can, because there is nothing healthy or tasty about petroleum-based

fertilizers and pesticides nor animal hormones and antibiotics, that are finally being

studied regarding their dangerous effects, but not yet regulated in any meaningful way.

Remember, everything you eat has an effect on your health and happiness.

BOHEMIAN GAZPACHO

Take 1/2 loaf of bread (I use a French loaf or baguette), tear into 2 inch-ish pieces,

put into a bowl and cover with water, set aside. I take the other half, slice it and

make crostini for tapas.

Into your blender or food processor put after washing:

1 cucumber - chopped into 1 inch pieces (no need to peel unless it's waxy)

1 1/2 lb tomatoes (I used roma) - end removed and cut in half

1 red bell pepper - cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic - peeled

2 cloves shallot - peeled

Pulse until everything is smooth, NO chunks or bits. You can put aside any of the veggies

and chop finer, if you want to garnish with them.

Then take the soggy bread to your sink and take it by the double-handful and squeeze out

as much excess water as possible, adding it to the blender as you go, transforming the soup

from reddish to pinkish as you process.

Then add and blend in for taste:

Juice from 1/2 large lemon - appx 4 tblsp

Splash of olive oil - appx 3 tblsp

Splash of sherry vinegar - appx 3 tblsp

3/4 tsp salt - use mineral or sea salt

1 tsp ground cumin

Take the soup (either still in blender or transferred to serving bowl) and refrigerate until cold.

It's best made a day in advance, so the flavors can meld and do their magic.

This serves 4 generously. You will be amazed at how flavorful such simple ingredients can be!

Make your visit to Spain complete by serving this with tapas and watching a beautiful film by

my favorite Spanish director, Pedro Almodovar, Talk to Her (2002).

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

International Woman of Mystery...

Lazercut Japanese Fan + Polaroid SX70 = Femme Fatale

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Feeling Funky

Street Art - Melrose Style

Lately I've been experiencing a bit of existential angst and creative ennui...

But I'm rebooting my creativity and will be back very soon with

new Bohemian adventures and inspirations!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

I GOT GIFTED!!!

Back in February... my dog Charlie got caught red-pawed making a snack out of my

Cosabella panties, as chronicled here. This led to my discovery that the company

was going to redo the style I wear, the Soire Lowrider Boyleg. I was concerned since this is the

only underwear I've been wearing for years, having suffered thru years of trial and panty error,

including a few-years stint of wearing mens tightie whities.

sigh.

So imagine how delighted I was to get this lovely pair of the new style, the Soire Lowrider Hotpants,

to try along with a gift certificate for another pair! My first gift!!! And how do they fit and feel,

you may ask? Perfectly. My concerns allayed, I'm about to order my free pair! Hmm... what color?

MERCI DANKE GRAZIE COSABELLA!!!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

What The Waters and Frida Give Me

As a birthday treat to myself (Gemini's Rule!) I took a few days respite at one of my favorite

get-aways, The Spring in Desert Hot Springs. The hot mineral waters can cure a weary body and

the windy quiet (no children) combined with sounds of desert life can heal the psyche.

I like it particularly because it is small (12 rooms) and has a covered pool (in addition to 2 others),

so I can soak in minerals without soaking in sun on my porcelain complexion.

I took my Diana F+ with me (needed to finish off a year-old roll of film), so while contemplating

life and meaning in the universe, and liking how the nail polish (Geranium by Essie)

was set off by the blue water and tiles, I took this shot, inspired by this painting by Frida Kahlo.

May you all find creativity and inspiration in every moment!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Stylish Ode to Frida

While perusing the groovy vendor stalls at The Silverlake Jubilee,

my eyes caught this flash of blue calling to me... and for $15 they were mine!

I think of Frida Kahlo every time I wear them, my patron saint of creative living.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

All Sorts of Wrong

Imagine if you will...

Going to check out a new neighborhood joint, the Fat Dog, just north of Melrose on Fairfax...

Ordering the Fat Dog, described as a grilled beef hot dog w condiments...(nothing more)

Then watching your waitress cross the entire restaurant with a GIANT 12-inch hot dog on a small

6-inch bun that serves no other purpose, but to accentuate the size of this OBSCENE piece of meat.

I have never in my life EVER blushed at food, but there really is a first time for everything.

When the waitress asked if I needed anything else, I replied... my dignity back.

I promptly (faster than ever in my life) cut the damn thing in half, then half again

and tried vainly to make the hot dog fit somehow in the bun, but to no avail...

It was impossible to eat with any decorum and it wasn't tasty enough to compensate.

Enough meat for 2 hungry people - but only barely enough bun for 1/2

The bun isn't cut all the way thru, great for showing GIRTH, not so great for eating like a human being.

Not once was I told how big this monstrosity was going to be! I'm a small person, after all.

This is the most illogical and overpriced ($10 and $4 for ice tea, yeah) hotdog EVER.

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

A Tale of Two Artworks

After following a nonsensical trail of arrows in my neighborhood last Sunday,

like Alice in a maze... I happened upon a sweet little garage sale.

Only $10 for this original vintage (60's?) 12x12 mixed media (paper/watercolors/wood) beauty!

With a BONUS personal note from the artist to the former owner.

This is one of the reasons I love vintage/2nd hand treasure...

discovering mysterious pieces to another's life! What's the story?

The tone of the lovely lady selling this painting and her willingness to unload it by

offering it for $5, gave me the impression that her ex painted this... in happier days.

Now the painting can be a source of happy again.

Charlie demanded to be in this pic and who am I to say no to such a stylish pooch?

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Melrose Trading Treasure

It's been a while since I had a good haul from The Melrose Trading Post,

but I hit the jackpot a few weeks ago!

At last, a mirror for the bedroom - $25!

I love the surreal Dali-effect on the right, that's distorting the

image of the cheap Ikea storage thingie I refinished years ago.

The tree branch on left is from the tree mentioned here.

Gorgeous, hand-blown and sunny little glasses (much smaller than they appear) - $10

Vintage Italian glass coasters - $10

These lovely silk scarves were a gift by the gentleman

who sold me the glasses and coasters! He used the scarves to wrap

and create a way to carry them. That's class.

A Citrine crystal pendant (good for third chakra - creativity) - $20

and an Ankh pendant made from recycled bullet shell casings - $3

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Life Can Be Sweet

La Tropezienne at Fig & Olive

Brioche + Sweet Mascarpone + Meyer Lemon Glazed Strawberries

= Heaven in my mouth

Until next time... Miss Absinthe

Isabella Blow, A Life in Fashion

Isabella Blow was a fascinating woman who transformed her insecurities and pain into

a shield of artful fashion originality, thus carving herself a place in fashion history

that will continue to inspire and influence creative people for ages to come.

She was a tragic and beautiful muse...

befriending and promoting Alexander McQueen and

tomorrow's Royal Wedding Milliner, Philip Treacy.

A truly original character, who left the world,

sadly, more beautiful for her having been in it.

Even her flaws were larger than life and outrageous!

This is not a fluffy bio about fashion,

but a interesting look into a generation of British Nobility

that was raised to be ill-equipped to face any sort of reality,

as well as the take-over of the creative/fashion world by

corporate interests (in the 90's), more interested in bottom lines

than hemlines or the fragile personalities that worked in it.

I learned so much more than I anticipated when I picked this book

and I had a hard time putting it down. A very good sign!

Until next time... Miss Absinthe