Historical Biddies


  • ,

    In Process: Amelia and Eleanor

    /

    In Process: Amelia and Eleanor

    It all started with a social media post I saw about a whimsical flight around Baltimore. Eleanor Roosevelt, as part one of her husband’s first state dinners, invited the newly minted “Lady Lindy” Amelia Earhart to the White House. Half way through dinner, Eleanor expressed her eagerness to experience the skies and Amelia, ever gracious,…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • Happy Birthday, Ethel Merman!

    /

    Happy Birthday, Ethel Merman!

    Mid January seems ripe with golden age Broadway and Hollywood celebrities. It’s hard to pick just one to celebrate. But I’ve had to make a hard choice so I will do just that. For me the queen of January 16th is one Ms. Ethel Merman. Ethel Merman was born an only child in Queens, New…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • Pour One Out for the Angel(a): My Favorite Murder She Wrote Episodes

    /

    Pour One Out for the Angel(a): My Favorite Murder She Wrote Episodes

    I, like most of the gay portion of this country, am mourning the loss of Angela Lansbury. To think of a world without her in our presence is so sad to think of. The body of work is diverse and immeasurable; my personal favorites are The Manchurian Candidate, Sweeney Todd, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and of…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • Happy Veteran’s Day

    /

    November 11 serves dual markers for me, it mark’s Veterans Day and also my grandmother’s birthday: a veteran of World War II herself. Both my grandmother Elizabeth and her sister Jean served in the war in different supplemental but pivital roles. However, their acknowledgements are barely recognized. I’m reminded of a celebratory lunch in my…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • ,

    The Fashion of Cults

    /

    The Fashion of Cults

    If you’re anything like me you will listen to any series or podcast having to do with cults with glee. Leah Remini’s show on Scientology? Bring it on. Wild Wild Country? I loved it. At the same time fashion is seen as something trivial and insignificant. There are plenty of people who believe it means…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • Pamela Colman Smith: First Lady of Tarot

    /

    Pamela Colman Smith: First Lady of Tarot

    If you’re anything like me your first foray into Tarot cards were the highly pigmented images of the “Rider Waite Smith” deck. The first publication of the cards was in 1909. They became public domain in the United States in 1966 and were then published by US Gaming systems, making them highly commercially available and…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • Everybody Rise! Happy Birthday Elaine Stritch!

    /

    Everybody Rise! Happy Birthday Elaine Stritch!

    A bunch of people are up early in PA to see if a large rodent sees its shadow to predict the weather. So that must mean one thing: it’s Elaine Stritch’s birthday! When people talk about their favorite diva, you get a lot of Judy Garlands, you get some Madonnas, a smattering of Celine Dions.…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • The Myth of the Unmarried Eccentric

    /

    The Myth of the Unmarried Eccentric

    Let me start this post by making sure to set this very clearly. I love my married friends. I love their children. I am completely jazzed that I have them in my life and I’d take a bullet for them. Also let me state: I feel as though I am a woman relatively at ease…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • A Brief History of Christmas Trees

    /

    A Brief History of Christmas Trees

    Christmas trees, largely as we know them, started in Germany in the 16th century although the celebration of “ever-green” trees can be seen in many different cultures. In Pagan traditions the Winter Solstice, or shortest day of the year, is celebrated and an evergreen tree reminds us that the days will finally start getting longer…

    Continue reading ⟶


  • The USO and the WPA: Performers Working For Their Country

    /

    The USO and the WPA: Performers Working For Their Country

    Happy Veteran’s Day to you fair readers. This week gave us a much needed moment to be proud of our country (before we get back to the important work that needs to be done that is.) There are two 20th century government programs that put performers to work using their special skills: The WPA and…

    Continue reading ⟶


I would describe my style and attitude as…

A cross between Iris Apfel, Miriam Margoles, Lucille Ball. But I am a devoted maximalist through and through. Although, as another inspiration once said

Style—all who have it share one thing: originality.

Diana Vreeland

Most Recent Blog Posts