Orange Countiana returns!

The first issue of the newly-revived Orange Countiana historical journal is finally out, and it's outstanding.
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A couple years ago, I started encouraging the Orange County Historical Society (OCHS) to get back to the business of publishing substantive local history. Thanks to the Society's board and our editor, Phil Brigandi, the long-dormant Orange Countiana was brought back to life -- this time as an annual publication. (The previous five issues were published somewhat randomly over the course of more than 35 years.)
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I'm now on the editorial board -- But honestly, between our great contributors and an excellent editor, there wasn't much for me to tweak. Here are the major articles you'll find inside:

• Eighty Five Years In the Old Courthouse - Lecil Slaback
• Albert Barnes Clark: A Pioneer Community Leader - Paul R. Clark
• The Birth of Orange County - Phil Brigandi
• Orange County's Meandering Boundary: Coyote Creek - Esther Ridgway Cramer
• The Long Arms of the Octopus: Southern Pacific Politics in Early Orange County - Stan Oftelie
• Prohibiton Distills New Business on the South County Coast, Then Depression Pulls the Cork on the Good Life - Doris I. Walker

Some of the contributors will speak and sign journals at the OCHS holiday gathering on Thurs., Dec. 9, 2010, 7:30pm, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2400 N. Canal St., Orange. The meeting is open to the public and refreshments will be served.
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All OCHS members receive a free copy of Orange Countiana. Additional copies, or copies for non-members are available for $20 each. (Hint: Individual membership in OCHS is $20 a year, so you might just want to join!) If you can't attend the meeting and are not a member, feel free to contact me about purchasing a copy.

Jewelry Biz - The Windsor Jewels At Auction...Again

Thank God Tabitha reminded me that today is the Sotheby's auction for the Windsor jewels...
I hadn't been paying attention.
Here's the famous 1952 Cartier onyx and diamond panther bracelet
which has estimates of 1 million to 1.5 million pounds.

That is pretty pricey for a panther...even one with provenance

Here's another view

Not only is it a great bracelet, it is iconic Cartier

But there is something, to me at least, not fresh about this collection.

In addition to the fact that the collection is so famous

haven't we seen all these items at auction before?

And would it be catty of me to say that these pretty panther pieces get around?

And what do we have here?

Oh it's a past  Beladora homepage photo with a panther bracelet.

And we have another perching panther from the past gracing the homepage of Beladora?

This one, in sapphires and diamonds sitting on a huge sapphire, had serious provenance too.

Don't get excited people, it's sold.

Now if you want to know about a woman with a jewel collection that put the Windsor's to shame

Dash has a post about the amazing Maharani Sita Devi of Baroda

Now this Baroda babe not only had an incredible life, she had some serious bling.

OK, bear with me just a little longer please because I just have to brag.

All of the photography for Beladora is done in house by the very talented Elizabeth Kollar.

Here's a link to the past homepage cover art for Beladora.

It's a good as anything that would come out of a fancy pants Madison Avenue advertising agency,

Don't you agree?

Léber Barbara ; Wedding Gown 2011 Bridal Collection

Get the fresh inspiration from Léber Barbara bridal collection, intermingled between updated classics to smoking sexy numbers.

this is what i called : gold wedding gown

Gorgeous strapless dipped V accentuate your best feature

smart short wedding gown - ballerina

bold black ruffles dramatic textures

or get this modern one

Moonlight Gold

Some inspirational colored bridal gown sometimes make brides more dizzy to pick the best one for her bridal attire, why not thinking about gold ? this kind of attire surely make you more worthy and precious. The moonlight possible to be wear for any other occasions such as homecoming and prom, as t not completely for wedding merely.

"Pink plus size wedding dresses"

There are many styles and designs out there created especially for you and we don’t see the point of being sad. You only need to get a few advices from a specialist in field that can guide you towards the most suitable plus size wedding dress that you can search for an also find eventually.

You can also surf the internet to see what types of plus size wedding dresses are there for you, what colors, what shapes, what lengths and fabrics can emphasize more your beauty and hide the flaws that you wish to hide.

As we said above, the myriad of new styles that exist in plus size wedding dresses is only for you to pick the most beautiful and flatter one for your plus size wedding affair.

Many full figure brides are choosing to have a custom made plus size wedding dress, in order to match with every single part of their body and come into agreement with their personal styles and visions. But in most cases these designer plus size wedding dresses can be pretty expensive and we all now that not every bride is willing or capable to spend a fortune on a dress that will only be worn once.

We can advise you to follow a color route, because plus size wedding dresses with color or colored wedding dresses can always manage to lift up a bride’s appearance and make her look more unique and outstanding among all the white traditional brides. If you don’t have anything against wearing a modern colored plus size wedding dress, you can try a pink dress.

Pink plus size wedding dresses make an excellent alternative to those who love this feminine, delicate and refined color. If combined with the right fabric and the right length or design, the final look of a pink plus size wedding dress could be more beautiful and surprising that you could ever imagine.

You should keep the line simple and clean, in order to emphasize more of the naturalness, elegance and style of the color. Empire waist pink plus size wedding dresses are wonderful, and so are those spaghetti strap pink plus size wedding dresses or those A-line sweetheart pink plus size wedding dresses.

"Corpulent Plus Size Wedding Gown"

It doesn’t really matter if you’re petite, tall, full figure or slim. It’s every bride’s right to look as beautiful, romantic, sexy, attractive, feminine and gorgeous as possible on the most important day of her life. But how do we mix the utility with the pleasure? How can we find the perfect wedding dress that we can all afford to buy?

If you’re a full figure bride and you’re scared of the fact that you won’t be able to find your dream cheap plus size wedding dress, don’t panic. There are so many alternatives and options to choose from, that you will only feel overwhelmed and not frightened at all. A good example of a cheap plus size wedding dress is the destination wedding dress.

Contrary to what many might say, a destination wedding can cost a couple less than any back home traditional, elaborated and formal wedding. A seaside wedding set usually requires a light casual décor and a more comfortable and loose wedding outfits. Therefore, if you’re sick and tired of the noise, the fuss and the sobriety of a traditional formal wedding in the city, choose to go away on a romantic wedding escapade on a sandy exotic beach or on a tropical island.

Out there you will be able to wear a light-weighted, long flowing comfortable and yet romantic, stylish and sensual cheap plus size wedding dress. If your beach wedding is going to have a more formal character, opt for a chic, attractive, sexy and elegant tea length cheap plus size wedding dress.

Don’t’ believe that a less expensive wedding dress will make you look cheap. Not at all! In fact, more and more brides of today seem to be interested in wearing a more casual, simple and clean, natural and feminine wedding dress that will make them feel more practical and look more natural.

The latest trends in wedding dresses admit the fact that less is more and the simpler a wedding dress is, the more appreciated and desired is going to be. Besides this option with destination cheap plus size wedding dresses, full figure brides who are dealing with a tighter wedding budget can opt for a second-hand wedding dress. Believe it or not, many celebrities went on buying their wedding dress from a thrift store, consignment or vintage clothing boutique.

It’s true that vintage, antique, period, century or middle-age wedding dresses are very fashionable these days, and what better place to look for an old cheap plus size wedding dress than in a second-hand store! If you decide to go with a retro, vintage or any other classy wedding dress form a thrift store, make sure that it isn’t too damaged to be repaired. Look for holes, ruptures, unraveling, stains or other recoverable damages before you buy the dress.

PS022 ; Plus Size Bridal Gown

Great attire for curved or full figured body shape women is plus size bridal gown. Emphasize the body nicely, leading a comfortable and convenient feeling of the wearer. Halter shape with beaded detail all over bodice actually could drawing any attention out from the real size of your body shape, at least guests will watching your attire stunningly.

Billionaires Behaving Badly or Opulence Abounds Barry Diller Style

I've been enjoying Gawker today, so I thought I'd share with you the Monday mirth

While Barry Diller has denied raises and bonuses to his IAC staff for the third year in a row
he hasn't cut back on his own spending, at least not on decorating his office,
which apparently needed a new carpet...a $1,000,000 silk rug.

Well, we know that he's not shy about spending
Diller's luxe tastes are no secret, of course. He got dinged in the press earlier this year when it was revealed he spent $4,600 per day in IAC funds on personal travel during 2009. (It isn't cheap to hop from place to place aboard a $45 million Bombardier BD-700.) And he spent more than $200 million on the world's largest sailing vessel, the 300-foot-long Eos, which features a crew of nine as well as and two chefs. From 2000-2010, he was the second best-paid executive at a public company, right behind Oracle chief Larry Ellison.

Of course nothing can be too good for the CEO of a publicly owned company.

Note: the Diller private jet

and the Diller Yacht

Obviously, these belong to the man not the corporation.
Still it's hard not to imagine what the IAC employees feel about all of this.

I suppose that the institutional shareholders of IAC stock think that of this is all OK.

And speaking of Billionaires Behaving Badly...don't even get me started on Berlusconi...

All Things Wicki, Wacki and Wonderful

I'm sorry but I'm just not feeling the outrage over the latest Wikileaks.
Thanks to Gawker we've got some US Embassy gossip...and it has made our day.

Libyan President Mumammar al-Qadhafi apparently keeps a "voluptuous blonde" Ukranian nurse named Galyna Kolotnytska at his side at all times. According to one cable: "the Libyan Government sent a private jet to ferry her from Libya to Portugal to meet up with the Leader during his rest-stop. Some embassy contacts have claimed that Qadhafi and the 38 year-old Kolotnytska have a romantic relationship. While he did not comment on such rumors, a Ukrainian political officer recently confirmed that the Ukrainian nurses 'travel everywhere with the Leader.'" The cable says Kolotnytska is always with Qadhafi because "she alone knows his routine." Imagining this routine is the mental equivalent of the nuclear bomb Libya was trying to build in the early 2000s.

I'm always fascinated with news of my favorite Libyan as an honorary member of the Qadhafi tribe. 
Qadhafi also uses botox, which is obvious because of how beautifully taut his skin is.
And, I'm glad to read that cousin Moo is keeping up his appearance with botox.



And then we get this.

Kim Jong-Il was described by a diplomatic source as a "flabby old chap." That's mean. So the guy has curves? We're so sick of unrealistic body expectations for unhinged dictators.
Doesn't all that flab make him easier to target?

And then back to Africa, which is always funnier than a barrel full of monkeys.
Idiotic Zimbabwean dictator/president Robert Mugabe is an idiot. So says a former U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe in a cable! Mugabe sucks as a leader because of "his deep ignorance on economic issues (coupled with the belief that his 18 doctorates give him the authority to suspend the laws of economics, including supply and demand)." Oh, you did not just go there: In Zimbabwe people have been disappeared for insulting just one of Mugabe's doctorates.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing good to say about Assange, and his hacker sidekicks. And quite frankly I'm surprised to that he has gotten this far.

But our world is teaming with dictators who need to be taken down a notch or ten 
and I'm glad that the US Diplomatic officers can at least be honest about these tyrants in their internal communications because they are horny, fat and idiotic...and so much more.

Timeless Style - Renée Pearl and 1930's French Modernism

Renée Pearl photographed by Jacques-Henri Lartigue in 1930

I found this fabulous photo and story about fashion model and muse of Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Renée Pearl, on the Bluetramontana Style blog, and I couldn't help but note how modern her look was.

The big ring, the bangle bracelets...

this is how I would rock this look in 2010 Beladora style.

Lavender Jadeite and Diamond Ring in 18K $1850

Group of 25 Bangle Bracelets in 18K $4550

For more on Renée Pearl and French Modernism
regard

Lovely Christian Louboutin Slingback Peep Toe Pump

Denise was spotted in cute dress, hat and pairs of Louboutin peep toe slingbacks

Denise Richards | Bikini + Bio

Denise Richards (full name Denise Lee Richards) was born on February 17, 1971 and she is an American actress and former fashion model. Denise Richards Height : 5'6"/168 cm.

Biography and Career :

Denise Richards was born in Downers Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, to Irving Richards, who used to work for a phone company, and Joni, who owns a chain of coffeehouses named "Jitters". She is of Welsh descent on her father's side and of Croatian descent on her mother's, and was raised a Catholic.

Denise Richards moved to California with her family when she was 14 and graduated from El Camino High School in Oceanside, California, where she practiced cheerleading as a sport.

Denise Richards became a famous actress in the late 1990s, after a string of films that highlighted
her sex appeal, including Wild Things and The World Is Not Enough. Richards is also known for her marriage to (and divorce from) actor Charlie Sheen.

Denise Richards spent the majority of the 1990s appearing in lower-budget films, television movies, and guest starring in episodes of several television shows. Her first starring role in a wide theatrical release was Starship Troopers in 1997, which was followed by her role in the moderately successful cult film Wild Things in 1998.

Denise Richards was subsequently cast as Dr. Christmas Jones in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999), which had a high box office gross and contributed to Richards' renown. In addition to her film work, Richards has made regular appearances in the situation comedies Spin City, Two and a Half Men, Friends and Seinfeld. She also starred in the short-lived UPN series Sex, Love & Secrets in 2005.

On April 19, 2006, Richards filed for divorce from Sheen under the laws of the state of California. Denise Richards alleged that Sheen's behavior was increasingly erratic, making their marriage impossible, and that she feared for her safety and the safety of their two daughters: Sam J. and Lola Rose.

Lindsay Lohan - Balenciaga Heels

I do love this style, casual at top but sexy at bottom, nice outfits !

Lea Michele | "Celebrity Sliding Shoes "

Glea star, Lea was attending the Blackberry Torch from AT&T launch party in LA wearing nude stiletto pump that clearly too big.

Brogues of Mischa Barton

Mischa Barton keeps it casual in brogues while out and about in Los Angeles on 29 June.

Wedge Shoes - Casual Look

Renée Zellweger looks hot in heels leaving the Music Box Theater in New York on 29 June.

Joe McCarthy in Orange County

At last month's OCHS meeting, the folks from the Center For Oral & Public History's MCAS El Toro project mentioned something interesting in passing. Several of their interviewees, (including Maxine Wehry,) remembered Joseph R. McCarthy -- the future Senator and "red hunter" -- as "the base legal officer" at El Toro during WWII. I knew Lee Harvey Oswald had served there as a Marine, but the McCarthy story was new to me.
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McCarthy grew up in rural Wisconsin and earned his law degree at Marquette University in Milwaukee. In 1935 he was admitted to the State Bar, and only four years later was elected as a Circuit Judge in the 10th District.
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In 1942, he volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps, even though being a judge exempted him from the draft. But his judicial position offered him automatic officer status.

As a second lieutenant, he served as an intelligence briefing officer for a dive bomber squadron in the Solomon Islands and Bougainville. He also flew in bombers as an observer on about 12 missions, and may have served as a tailgunner during a few of those flights. He was in the South Pacific for two tours, from Sept. 1942 to March 1944.

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McCarthy was a Captain by the time he was sent "stateside" in July 1944. According to The Rise and Fall of Senator Joe McCarthy by James Cross Giblin, sometime in August, "Joe reported to the El Centro Marine Corps Air Station, ...and was soon transferred to the El Toro Marine training base. He knew he would be eligible for another overseas tour of duty early in the new year and decided to try to head off the assignment. He would be up for reelection as a judge in April 1945, and he wanted to get ready for the campaign."

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In other words, he wasn't at El Toro very long.

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He resigned his commission on Dec. 11, 1944 and was home campaigning in Wisconsin by late January. He easily won the judicial election and immediately began planning his 1946 Senate race. From day one, he lied regularly about his military record to further his political career.
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The rest, as they say,...

"The weather's fine"

I like the fact that there was once a cottage industry selling postcards like this to Southern Californians specifically so they could gloat to their friends back East about our wonderful winter weather. There are subtler versions, but I like the in-your-face approach of this one.

Having "The Talk" With Your Children

h/t  Pejman Yousefzadeh's blog A Chequer Board of Nights and Days

Shoes for 2011 Fashion Trends ... OVER THE TOP !

These are just fierce footwear that absolutely not just bring a assertive character but also emphasize the fashion statement that just all the top ! Stumbled across from Gasoline Glamour.
Take nod for these fashionable footwear and give a different look for upcoming new year as if you are brave enough to wear !

LADY GAGA - HELLO KITTY SHOES, TOUCHY CELEBRITY

Encountering Lady GaGa so much fond in Hello Kitty pumps for shoot on Bravo's Double Exposure as celebrating Hello Kitty's 35th anniversary.

Anna Wintour - Piggy Hanging Toes

I think Anna is a fabulous editor ( I love Vogue); I respect her role in the fashion industry and overall admire her style. Last week when I was flipping through the photos from couture week I spotted a lovely picture of Anna & Blake Lively at Chanel Haute Couture. As my eyes were admiring the photo (okay, scanning for fabulous shoes) I saw something I wish I never had. If you look at the photo below you will see both of Anna’s pinky toes hanging out of her sandals! I had an immediate flashback to Anna Paquin in the fishscale Stella McCartney sandals. I can deal with celebrities wearing a shoe half size too big or maybe too small but piggy toes hanging out of sandals? No!

Celebrity's Shoes - FEVER

Numerous hottest stars recently spotted wearing same brand and even same style, Christian Louboutin Clou Noeud heels from youngest celebrity Dakota Fanning to mama Jade Pinkett Smith. They wore it sidewalk to red carpet.