Alex aka Muscato
@cafemuscato
Retired diplomat, but not particularly retiring; working on aging disgracefully. I split my time between deserts: Palm Springs and Cairo. Always up for champagne, good music, or gossip about the Lunts. Parlor pink; lapsed Presbyterian. He/Him.
As the sun heads behind the mountains, I’ve been out sitting poolside solo, The Mister having gone back home after our swim lest he miss a single football-related moment. The light was fading and young rabbit played on the lawn. Some small songbirds were teasing a pair of ravens. Happy Fourth…
Wishing you good things on our collective 250th birthday, despite it all.
There’s a string trio playing in the lobby just outside. I mean, this is not real life, but for a little while it’s undeniably pleasant. But tomorrow it’s back to reality, if that’s what you call life in Palm Springs.
My favorite Jane Russell fun fact: in 1959, Hilton hired her to grace the opening of their lavish new hotel in Cairo, the first such international establishment in Egypt. A mere 44 years later, I met The Mister at the pool of the Nile Hilton; in some small way, I owe him to Jane.
I trust it will surprise exactly none of you that I felt compelled to have my lunch here…
Sitka, I am in you. I took this trip in part because in about 1908, my great grandmother came on one of the first tourist voyages to this part of the world. She took an interest in Presbyterian missionary work, and she wanted to see what was being done for the indigenous people out here.
There truly are advantages to having been raised in large part by one’s 19th-century-born grandparents. I may not know much, but by God I know which fork to use.
Back in the ballroom; the Orchestra is playing a spritely foxtrot version of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and it occurs to me that Postmodern Jukebox has a great deal to answer for.
Ersters . Just off camera: champagne and a string trio. A boy could get used to this.
Seattle, I am (briefly) in you. And I’m very impressed by your public library.
A spokescorpse for ‘70s undead fave raves the Groovie Ghoulies has denied reports that the band will reunite to play at the Freedom 250 celebration.
She, on the other hand, would have been 104, and I’m more than a little surprised she didn’t make it.
I always feel as if Claire Luce was done dirty by being so closely named to that playwriting termagant who did at least give us The Women. Here she is on the cover of a 1931 Egyptian movie magazine…
Thinking of her this Mother’s Day; she’s gone this quarter century now. It’s a cliché to say “I miss her every day,” but my own inner voice owes so much to her that it’s pretty much true. I don’t think her life turned out to be what this young girl hoped for, but she did well by her children.