LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN. So says the carol. These thoughts are much on our mind this Holiday season. As we speak, our President & charming First Lady went to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.  Even he, the recipient, demurred a bit & spoke of “the world that ought to be.”  He addressed the paradox of accepting the award for PEACE while escalating a war & acknowledging the acceptance of an award he did not yet deserve.  From there he’s off to Copenhagen to talk of climate change-hopefully not the impossible dream. Speaking of possibility, just because we have frugal fatigue doesn’t mean we aren’t going to celebrate the holiday season. Here are some charming ideas:

• To remember the world-Mini globes from Crate & Barrel ($6-7)
• To remember the planet- Let’s get rid of plastic water bottles and buy this wonderful red flask from kioskkiosk.com ($15) Tie on a green ribbon & you can even save gift wrapping.
• To hope for peace-A silvery peace-sign ornament ($11.99 for six)
• To remember others in need-At skip1.org, choose one thing to “skip” a day and donate that money (like for a Starbucks latte) to provide food and water worldwide through the Children’s Health Fund.
• To remember that a homemade gift sometimes has the most meaning- bake up some cookies, put them in a box or tin and wrap it with a bow. Check out my recipe here.

Here’s to dreaming of a peaceful Christmas and Hanukah. If you’re really stuck for gift ideas, check out my charms at deannalittellscharmschool.com

Deanna

P.S.  CHARM SCHOOL READING ASSIGNMENT

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl-to remind us about being nice (Santa will know).

Too Big To Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin-to remind us that we are...(too big to fail).

The Little Prince-by Antoine de Saint-Exupery to remind us to look at life through a child’s eyes. They are often wiser than adults.

MISTRESS OF CHARM

Fanny Valette, a budding French actress, made her mark starring in Moliere opposite Romain Duris and was named one of European film’s “Shooting Stars.” She’s about to start making a film called,”Les Hommes Charmants Ne Cour Pas Les Rues” or in English,”Charming Men Are Hard to Come By.” We’ll have to send them to Charm School!

MOST CHARMING MOVIE OF THE MONTH

This unique animated version of Roald Dahl’s book portrays the most charming cast of stop-action characters ever assembled. It’s an adventure dressed in fur & corduroy–pure imagination that reminds us with wit & charm that there’s a smart kid in all of us.

MASTER OF CHARM

Tom Ford-Voted #1 hottest business man. Charmed us with his fashion savvy, now charming us with his new film, “A Single Man.”  Proves he is a man versatile enough for the 21st century.

MISTRESS OF CHARM

The Queen Mother, William Shawcross’ “official biography,” was recently released and her charm and moxie during the last century could provide some guidance as we navigate the 21st-

“Wouldn’t it be terrible if you’d spent all your life doing everything you were supposed to do…and suddenly one day you were over by a big red bus, as as the wheels were crunching into you, you’d say, ‘Oh my God, I could have got so drunk last night…’ That’s the way you should live your life, as if tomorrow you’ll be run over by a big red bus.”

MOST CHARMING MOVIE OF THE MONTH

A coming of age story about a teenage girl in suburban London in the 1960’s. It stars Carey Mulligan, who’s father is determined that she get into Oxford, & Peter Sarsgaard, who shows her that the School of Life is often a better education.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Let’s Thank Our Lucky Stars *

It’s November already & we’re looking towards the annual holiday season. First, Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims were thankful that they had survived their first winter in the New World & had enough food, thanks to the Indians.

We can thank our lucky stars that we seem to have survived the blackest hole & can see some ray of light on the other side.

It’s hard to be charming when watching every penny. In times past , people managed to do charming things to help during bad times. In the 1943 musical film Thank Your Lucky Stars, starring Humphrey Bogart & Bette Davis, among many others, which was made a a WWll fundraiser, all the box office proceeds went to the war effort & participants were paid $50,000 which they donated back. More than $2,000,000 was raised.

Wish we could do such charming things today to help the homeless, the jobless & those who just have less.

• We can, of course dress up in our most charming apron & help serve Thanksgiving dinner at your local church or synagogue.
• We can donate a mini amount to a food charity to help. Just $30 will buy 5 Thanksgiving meals to homebound New Yorkers at www.citymeals.org.  And $35 to www.actionagainsthunger.org will support 30 days of treatment for a severely malnourished child in Africa.
• And we can “Wish Upon a Star” that things will be better tomorrow!

Here’s the wish-”Starlight, starbright, first star I see tonight, Wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight”!

To better wish, you can buy your own star at www.starregistry.com

Or have a look at my “Lucky Star” charm with little diamonds for real sparkle.

Happy Thanksgiving and see you soon. In the meantime stop by my website at deannalittellscharmschool.com

Deanna

P.S. Charm School Reading Assignment

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak- maybe it offers a clue about coping with our current crisis

Ayn Rand and the World She Made by Anne C. Heller -another possible commentary on the $ debacle

The Queen Mother by William Shawcross -Learn about the Queen Mother you never imagined.

MASTER OF CHARM

Roger Federer sadly lost the US Open to Del Potro, but showed himself to be a true Master of Charm in his acknowledgment of defeat.

MISTRESS OF CHARM

Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel in the French soon to open film, Coco Before Chanel is shown here in her early life at Deauville. A charming iconoclast-here she is in a striped fisherman’s shirt and boater hat while most women were covered in feathers and veils.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LA RENTRÉE -AN ODE TO ALL THINGS FRENCH IN NEW YORK

I’ve just come back from Paris and everything is buzzing with upbeat charm. No recession worries here-we need the latest fashion-mostly all black, slightly punk, leggings and leather.

La Rentrée translates into back-to-school. You see how much more charming everything is in French. So charming-all those little children in little loden jackets with their wheeling schoolbags and chic mothers. Sadly gone are those old fashioned brown leather briefcases worn on shoulder straps that my sons had.

The most charming excuse of the week-Victoria Beckham missed her childrens’ first day of school in favor of Fashion Week. “Mommy’s going to NY to do a test,” she told WWD. “You have math tests, mommy has a fashion test.”

For MY rentrée I decided to see how many things I could come up with in NY to prolong my Parisian experience. First we found Merci-a concept store from Paris that has partnered her with the Gap. Starting Sept 10th for one month only, Gap is importing Merci to Fifth Ave with everything from an aluminum spoon to a vintage jeweled pin (Merci/Gap – 680 Fifth Ave. at 54th St, 212.977.7023).

Famous Parisian Steakhouse, called Le Relais de Venise L’ Entrecote, has opened a NY outpost-but they don’t do ketchup. The waitresses look like French parlor maids in a forties revue. The menu unchanged since 1959 consists of salad, l’ entrecote (rib-eye steak) and frites with the house “secret sauce.” Prix-fix $24 -OO LA LA (French for OMG).

Or you could take a free trip to Paris via the photographs of Jacques Henri Lartigue at the Howard Greenberg gallery. So Francais- grab dinner at Le Bonne Soupe to complete the Paris effect.

Speaking of food-they’re always doing that in Paris-check out the Le Fooding D’Amour Sept 25th and 26th at P.S. 1.

More speaking about food-tired of restaurants? Be inspired to do it yourself-go see Julie & Julia and learn about Julia Child, the woman who brought French cooking to American shores. Amy Adams is charming but Meryl Streep is brilliant. Go get her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, at Kitchen Arts & Letters-the cookbook emporium (contact them at letters@kitchenartsandletters.com).

And if YOU want to go back-to-school, try La Maison Francaise at nyu.edu for a wonderful fall lineup of French culture, including films, and talks about politics, literature, and food (what else?).

Dust off those pumps & have a good “rentrée.” See you soon. In the meantime stop by my website at deannalittellscharmschool.com

P.S. Charm School Reading
The Wilder Shores of Love by Leslie Blanche-soooo French
Queen of Fashion-What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber

MASTER OF CHARM

Undaunted by losing to Prince Charles at the Manhattan Polo Classic, heartthrob Nacho Figueras is trying to charm the Hamptonites into making polo their sport for the summer at the annual polo challenge. Will he do it?

Mistress of Charm

Nancy Drew, that fictional girl detective worshipped by generations of young women, has once again come into our collective consciousness as a role model to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomeyer. And it turns out to Sandra Day & Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well. In print since 1930, the series by Carolyn Keene with wonderful titles such as the Secret of the Old Clock & the Password to Larkspur Lane, demonstrate that Nancy’s feisty personality & her ability at problem solving doesn’t prevent her from being charming, powdering her nose & driving off in that blue convertible to solve the world’s problems. A true modern heroine.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FLY ME TO THE MOON

Today is the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing.  Everyone is discussing this historic event & honoring the Apollo 11 astronauts, Buzz Aldren, Neil Armstrong & Michael Collins.  My prize for the best tribute is the Louis Vuitton ad with the tagline: “Some journeys change mankind forever.”

I however would like to talk about the CHARM of the moon & how historically it has been a romantic symbol. It has been used in miriade phrases that speak of love as well as song & film titles. Let’s explore…

OVER THE MOON: meaning “I’m mad about the boy”,  ”Head-over-heels in love”.

MOONSTRUCK: an expression meaning dazed, deranged or distracted with romantic sentiment (from the belief that moonlight causes insanity). See the movie of same name.

MAN IN THE MOON: by the Man in the Moon we mean the illustrious personage whose shining countenance may be beheld at night beaming good naturedly down on the earth. In the language of a lyric bard “The moon is out tonight, my love, meet me with a smile.”

MOON SHADOW: the long & sometimes eery shadow cast by the full moon on a clear night. Cat Stevens wrote a song of the same name on the album, Teaser and the Firecat.

MOONSTONE: a mineral valued as a gem for it’s pearly translucence. I have a charm, with a man-in-the-moon face carved in moonstone. It’s a charming thing.

WOMAN ON THE MOON: Fashion in the sixties was just as fascinated with space as NASA. Women’s Wear Daily documents this beautifully in today’s issue- Audrey Hepburn in Courréges in “How to Steal A Million” (1965).

Man has forever been fascinated by the moon. What’s next, MARS?

See you soon-I hope sooner than once in a blue moon.

In the meantime stop by my website,

www.deannalittellscharmschool.com

-Deanna

P.S.  This week I discovered at the Mermaid Inn that there is a moonstone oyster!

P.P.S. Charm School Summer Reading:

Some MOON related books: The Moon & Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham

The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck

There will be a quiz in the fall!

 

Master of Charm

HRH Prince Harry of Wales played a Polo match on Governors Island for the second annual Manhattan Polo Classic & won in the last seconds of the game against the Argentinian pro Nacho Figueras. He saved the day & won our hearts. The prince was truly charming!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

THE LIPSTICK INDEX

As the famous truism goes: When the economy dives, lipstick sales soar. The phenomenon known as the “lipstick effect” dates back to the Great Depression-we can pass on a handbag or shoes, but can manage the price of a lipstick. Leonard Lauder coined the term, “the lipstick index” after 9/11 and right now this truism seems truer than ever.

Guerlain’s Rouge G de Guerlain ($45)- a lipstick in a weighty, silver compact that includes a compact mirror. Take it out of your handbag and it’s a 20 minute conversation. It’s been a hit!

Leave it to the French to invent the first indelible lipstick-Rouge Baiser (Kissing Red). It was released in 1927 with a gorgeous ad by the artist, René Gruau, which is still running today, proving that this iconic item has stood the test of time.

Filming is due to start this fall on a Man Ray biopic starring the French actress, Emma de Caunes as Kiki de Montparnasse and Giovanni Ribisi as Man Ray. We all remember his famous lipstick painting, ”In the Hour of the Observatory-The Lovers,” but did you know that the lips were Lee Miller’s?

And my favorite lipstick quote from the beautiful Carole Lombard, leading lady of the 30’s, “I live by a man’s code, designed to fit a man’s world, yet at the same time I never forget that a woman’s first job is to choose the right shade of lipstick.” This quintessential madcap beauty dared to be wacky while glamorous. Check her out in My Man Godfrey, 1936.

See you soon, and in the meantime, stop by my website, www.deannalittellscharmschool.com

Deanna

MISTRESS OF CHARM

Ekaterina Maximova

Famed Ballerina of the Bolshoi Dies.  Her luminous stage presence & technical precision made her a star.  In announcing her death, the Bolshoi described her as “The glory of Russian Ballet, CHARM personified.”

MASTER OF CHARM

Valentino

The legendary Italian couturier who knew how to end his nearly 50 year career with style & grace. Matt Tyrnauer has made a stunning documentary covering the final 2 years of his career. Don’t miss “Valentino the Last Emperor” at the Film Forum. There are still some Q+A sessions with Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley and Tynauer!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Spring at last!

And not a moment too soon. Today is Earth Day & everyone needs to take a walk in the park, feel Spring & see those beautiful blossoms on every tree.

So many things that Spring brings to mind-

Spring Fever is my favorite. Such a charming expression. It always reminds me of how I cut school one afternoon with my girlfriends to see Audrey Hepburn in, “Love In The Afternoon.” We were in love with her! After the film we went to Central Park & lay on the grass, looking at the sky & talking about life. Now, there’s a new book out called “What Would Audrey Do?” We probably could have written the book.

The French have an even more charming name for Spring Fever. They call it “L’Ivresse du Printemps”-drunk on Spring. While we’re busy being drunk or having our head in the clouds, let’s not forget some of the real meanings of Spring:

A new beginning, rebirth, blossoming, a new start.

We should all start off the new season with a good Spring Cleaning. It’s time to do it. We’ve been talking about it since the New Year. If you don’t have someone to pitch in, ask an out-of-work friend to help for a small fee. Make a plan: get a shredder,give the clothing rejects to a thrift shop try some “earth friendly” products for the windows. It feels great when you’re done. You can see those blossoming trees out the windows & have lots of room in your closet to start over. Spring Sales have started already-a sign of the times..but be disciplined. We should all learn to do with less.

For me the most charming flower that says spring is the Daffodil. Try a straight-sided glass vase packed with them. All the stems should be cut the same length and tie them with a bit of raffia or ribbon. Or if you’re all thumbs instead of a green thumb order them from www.michaelgeorgecustomfloral.com.

Ciao for now & don’t forget to recycle,

Deanna

And in the meantime, check out my website @ www.deannalittellscharmschool.com

CHARM ALERT

Ki Hackney gave me a wonderful mention in her current column, The Passionate Shopper, in the New York Social Diary which she devoted to Charms.

Check out my comments on Michelle Obama in the Feb 2 issue of New York Magazine! You’ll find it under my screen name, charmschoolgazette.

http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/53613/

MISTRESS OF CHARM

NATASHA RICHARDSON

Her charm spoke for her…

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

YES, WE CAN-CAN

I’m recently back from Paris and despite the sub-zero weather, it was indeed Gai Paree. The Ready-to-Wear collections were in full-swing and quite a few designers said, “Recession be damned!” Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, quoted in WWD, said, ” Yes, there’s a crisis, but one can carry on and contribute to beauty and gorgeousness.” And that he did with lots of French charm, flirtatiousness and pretend decadence-lace, corsets and poof.

Speaking of lace, it seemed as if during the collections in Paris, every attendee wore black lace hose with a high-heel bootie- “sexy” never being far from a French women’s mind. Bill Cunningham’s column in NYT (3/22)  entitled, Stems, described the difference between NY with women stomping around in heavy winter boots and Paris, with the dazzling leg factor-”seduction in full play.”

During the shows in the NYC, in a sort of Sex-and-the-City moment, Ashley Dupré showed up at the Yigal Azrouel show. Azrouel said, “I’m shocked” and fired his publicist, Kelly Cutrone for allowing America’s most notorious ex-call girl to sit in the front row.  One year later and she’s moved on to a singing career but America hasn’t. In Paris, they’d be calling HER publicist.

France, after all, is the country that brought you Catherine Deneuve in Belle du Jour. This 60’s film is about a bored bourgeois wife who works in a bordello in the afternoon (remember those charming Charles Jourdan shoes with the buckles?). This year there’s a new movie called, Cliente with Natalie Baye, about a 50-ish woman who pays a call boy for sex when her marriage breaks apart.

Only the French could have a literary blog called, Maitresse, which writes about all things literary and sexy. In France, brainy doesn’t mean you can’t wear stilettos. Watching the lights sparkle on the Eiffel Tower on my last night is probably the most charming and inspirational site in the world–gives you the feeling that things will be fine.

A la prochain-

Deanna

In the meantime, remember to check out my website, deannalittellscharmschool.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LOVE IN THE TIME OF TEXTING:

Send To Him

Well I’m going to say it: there’s nothing charming about receiving a Valentine via text message. It’s not only bad when men text with horrible abbreviations such as “C U L8R” , it’s painful & cavemanesque. The only way he can get away with it is not in a text message, but if he buys you one of my  ”rebus” charms that says “I Am 4 U” in 14k gold.

Or texting would also be permitted if he took as much pains with the thought as if he had written a handwritten note. Try a Sonnet: “HOW DO I LOVE THEE, LET ME COUNT THE WAYS…” Google, “Elizabeth Barrett Browning” for assistance.

If you can’t sing, find “My Funny Valentine” on iTunes & send it by e-mail to your Lady-Love.

Candy Hearts-iPhone helps you create your own digital Valentine’s candy. Personalize the color, background & message & send it via e-mail.

Now For Her

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Film Forum has all my favorite romance movies. “It Happened One night”, “My Man Godfrey” or that other Frank Capra lovely, “Mr. Deeds Goes To Town.” The series is entitled “Breadlines & Champagne,” in honor of our new-found “poverty.” For a “Cheap Date”, pick up 2 tickets & send them to your mate in a lovely RED & gold card from “The Gold Line” (heart stamps at the post office-42 cents). Plenty of popcorn at the concession stand instead of dinner & the rest of the evening is free. Don’t forget to always be properly dressed-Alexander Wang limited edition condoms at: www.properattirecondoms.com proceeds go to Planned Parenthood.

If you’re already hitched, consider “THE THIN MAN” series, Dashel Hammet’s high comedy detective series with William Powell & Myrna Loy-love fueled by dry martinis. You could rent, “The Thin Man” (# 1), cook up an appropriate meal (elegant) & shake up some dry martinis in you new “vintage” cocktail shaker, courtesy of Housing Works. This will teach you how to keep the marriage flame burning forever.

See you next month when I’m back from MY Valentine’s Day in Paris! Let me know how my ideas worked out.

In the meantime, check out my web-site at: www.deannalittellscharmschool.com

Deanna

MISTRESS OF CHARM

 

Aretha Franklin’s riveting rendition of “My Country Tis of Thee” was made more so by her show-stopping hat in heather gray, decorated with Swarovsky crystals. The hat was designed by the Detroit-based milliner, Luke Song, where she is a regular customer. Nothing more charming than a woman in a hat!

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Remember when I told you that one of the things I would do is help you find PRINCE CHARMING ? Well, I think we have found our collective PRINCE CHARMING. From the moment they danced to “At Last”, sung by Beyoncé, looking so soignée, the mood was set. His statement as he took to the dance floor at the People’s Ball “How good looking is my wife? said it all. Not only was he the best looking “date” we’ve had in a long time, but Charming to boot. Not afraid to express his feelings for his lady-love on international T.V., but he’s going to fix it all too. The planet swooned! The savior is here!

Michelle has excited the fashion world with her charming choices & we are all thrilled to have such a young & fashionable first family. Two adorable “first children” & two Harvard grads.

We will find back in style words like GLAMOUR, CHARISMA,DEBONAIR & CHARMING – and imagine, we will be using them to describe  our new  President  & his lady. They will be setting an example to the whole country. It  will now be “cool” to dress well, be smart, have good manners, be sophisticated & be glamorous. He will be faced with an almost daunting task, & hundreds of constituancies  screaming me,me,me & feeling the pressure of millions of Americans,if not the world, but we feel confident that “Nodrama Obama” is at the controls.

See you next week with some Valentine’s Day  thoughts.

In the meantime check out my website at: www.deannalittellscharmschool.com

Deanna

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

As we begin the New Year 2009 we must remain hopeful that Humpty Dumpty will right himself. Here are 10 things we can do for ourselves to feel better from the start.

1. Be charming: honey does get you further than vinegar. 

2.Wear your jewelry: even though the papers say it may be in bad taste-don’t let them get you down-go for it, even with your jeans. It will lift your mood &  keep it polished.

3. Be a Hostess with the Mostest: give dinner parties, even if your apartment is small and even if you have to do “take-in.” It’s convivial, it’s simpler than coordinating a group to go out, & your friends will be charmed.

4. Volunteer: find a cause that interests you & give a little time & a little cheer. It’s free, you will be helping others & it will get you out of yourself for a few hours.

5. Be smart: if you have more to give than yourself, make sure you practice “Smart Philanthropy.” To have a greater social impact from your giving, get the book recommended by Bill Gates: Money Well Spent, published by Bloomberg Press.

6. Be Smart II: get a tiny “Smart” car-now available in the U.S. Two can fit in the parking space of one American car. You’ll reduce your footprint. Great for city shopping (bring along your own shopping bag), and if you insist on designer looks, there’s a 10th anniversary edition by Hermes in the house’s signature orange with a leather covered steering wheel.

7. Write notes: In this world of e-mails your thoughtfulness will be remembered. Get some engraved note cards -4 1/4 x 6 3/8- & have them ready. If you can’t afford to have them engraved, you can “Do It Yourself” on your computer. Crane & Co sells the cards, & envelopes & templates are on the website.

8. Read more: Support your local bookstore. The N.Y. Times & The Wall Street Journal have already done their lists of books to come. We’ll be sorry if there are no more independent bookstores. Be old-fashioned, curl up in a comfortable chair with a good book & a cup of tea (or Smart Water).

9. Shop in your closet: If you haven’t yet done it, clean out your closets. You’ll be surprised what you’ll find to wear there & all the rest can go to your local thrift shop for a donation. Think of all the money you’ll save on shopping & a tax deduction to boot.

10. Be charming: Smile on the street, say thank you more often & say hello to your neighbors. You’ll be surprised at how many might become friends. Look at Holly Golightly. Warmth & Charm should be your bywords for 2009.

All my best wishes, & remember to check out my website, www.deannalittellscharmschool.com.

Deanna

MASTER OF CHARM

JAMES BOND, the true master of charm. Daniel Craig, the new James Bond, misses the mark on several counts-he never gives up the clenched jaw, looks terrible in a tux, and is lacking, for many filmgoers, the one defining element, the famous Bond charm. As M said, “James, look where your charm got you…” while gesturing to the petrol-covered corpse of his most recent conquest. At least we hope he got his solace. 

For me and Prince Harry (according to People), there’s only one true James Bond-Sean Connery. Those piercing blue eyes, that accent, that smile that could melt even a counter-spy and the way he orders a martini-I’m dead on the floor.

CHARM ALERT

Speaking of Christmas gifts, don’t miss my vintage charms featured in the Nov/Dec 08 issue of Departures magazine!