Snoods for safety

Hello Be-Bops! How was your weekend? Mine was great! :)

Today, I'm posting a must-have complement from Arthelia's Attic etsy shop: This is a custom snood. HRF is offering you a chance to win one on her lovely blog 'Haute Rockabilly Fashionista'.

Chocolate Brown is my favorite colour ♥

Each snood comes with a matching grosgrain ribbon at the top which is pinned on so it can be removed if you prefer.

I love the matching ribbon ♥

And you can choose your favorite colour, that goes with your hair colour. See all of them, here.

Did you like it? Hurry! These are the rules for entry. It's open worldwide.

1. You must be a blog subscriber (Click here)

2. You will need to post something on your blog about the giveaway (as I did)

3. Leave her a comment below to let me know you want to be entered (Click here).

Entries will be taken until January 14th. The drawing will be held on January 15th.

Arthelia's Attic etsy shop craft these hair snoods using a vintage pattern from 1942. This reminded me of a famous video, I watched some years ago. 

During the WWII, in the early 1940's, Veronica Lake had to change her trademark peek-a-boo hairstyle to encourage women working in war industry factories to adopt more practical, safer hairstyles. Women had to cover their hair, using safety caps too.

Take a look at this video!, you will love it:

Peek-a.boo hairstyle

Fortunately, I am not working in a war industry factory but it would be great to win one of these custom snoods. Windy days are terrible in Ireland. Next picture proves it.

It was taken last August (yep I was wearing a coat, as usual) I started the outing, with my gorgeous victory rolls hairdo...This was the end hahaha :/

Crossing my fingers!!! :)

My hair would love to win a snood in windy days x')

Thank you HRF, Good Luck Ladies and...Of course

Baci Tutti! ;)

♡Lorena Be-Bop♡

Midnight, The Stars and You

Hello Be-Bops! Well, I named this post after a song title, 'Midnight, The Stars and You', I bet you've heard this 30's song before ...listen carefully! :)

Where do we know this song from? 

It was chosen for The Shining movie ending credits. I reckon, I would have been an easy target, for the wicked Overlook Hotel, much better than Jack Torrance hahaha. It was a Be-Bop Paradise! hahaha ;) However, my boyfriend said to me 'Lorena, turn it off please! it's scaring me! OMG What a creepy song! ' hahaha but I disagree, it's so gorgeus! isn't it?;)

I guess, you have watched the film, which is based on the Stephen King novel, produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick. Otherwise, you should do it! :)

Some years ago, I read the novel and to be honest with you, the film has a rather weak argument, if you compare it with the book: missing pieces, those characters (i.e Shelley Duvall, as Wendy Torrance) stick out a mile..,just another screen adaptation. However Nicholson's Jack Torrance role is terrific! wow! s-p-e-c-t-a-c-u-l-a-r! love it!

Without further ado...

Do you know there is an Overlook Hotel in real life? 

The Stanley Hotel is a 140-room neo-Georgian hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Each room affords a There is a panoramic sight of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Stephen King hosted over there and it inspired him to write The Shining.

Stanley Hotel

Parts of the mini-series version of The Shining were filmed there, although Stanley Kubrick's cinematic version was filmed at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon and at Elstree Studios in England. The Stanley Hotel shows the uncut R-rated version of Kubrick's The Shining on a continuous loop on Channel 42 on guest room TVs Would you like to celebrate New Year's Eve Party over there? It would be lovely! Check out its website for further information, you'll find a mechandising online shop too ;)

Stanley Hotel Official Website

Well actually, I am writing about The Shining movie, because the building, where I live in, reminds me of the famous wicked Overlook, just a little bit hahaha, it's true. Have a look at these pics!

This is the hallway on the 2nd floor. My father and I think, it looks straight outta The Shining one hehe.

My lovely hallway ;)

Danny was riding his big wheel through the hallways...and TaDaaaa!!!!

This is the Christmas tree, on the ground floor:

Christmas Tree

To finish, do you remember this pic? Is this one, a photo that Kubrick took? Did he hire so many extras for a picture?

The photograph, captioned Overlook Hotel, July 4th Ball, 1921.
A young Jack stands smiling in the bottom center.

Happy Jack Torrance! :)

No, he didn't! It was a touch up job and it didn't obviously use Photoshop in the 80s. When it comes to tricking a picture, the modern world offers filmmakers so many forms to do it, but they look badly sometimes. This was a good job ,even with airbrush and manual retouching technique. Stanley Kubrick did it carefully and it looks perfectly, much better than any modern one.

The Real man in the original picture before he was erased from history.

Love,

♡Lorena Be-Bop♡

The Walrus and the Carpenter

In my last post I wrote about a luxury makeup product: Météorites Perles by Guerlain. Perles? Pearls? Hmmm, something popped up in my head : Oysters!.

Have you ever seen this footage in the movie 'Alice in Wonderland'(Disney, 1951)?
 Do you remember it?

(In Spanish)

Honestly, I swear, it was one of the most powerful film for me, in term of dramatic impact during my childhood. A Be-Bop trauma hahaha. Poor little oysters! I used to feel like crying when I saw it. They look so cute and adorable! and the wicked Walrus eat them! :(

Some years later, I read the narrative poem, written by Lewis Carroll in his book 'Through the Looking-Glass' , 'The Walrus and the Carpenter'. This book, from 1871, is a sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865).

The poem is recited in chapter four, in the book 'Through the Looking-Glass' , by the twins, Tweedledum and Tweedledee to Alice:

One night when both sun and moon were visible, a couple were walking down the beach: the Walrus and Carpenter. They came upon an offshore bed of oysters, and they invited to join them. Although the eldest oyster disapproved the idea, many little oysters followed them. After walking along the beach (a point is made of the fact that the oysters are all neatly shod despite having no feet), the couple are revealed to be predatory and eat all of the oysters. After hearing the poem, the good-natured Alice attempts to determine which of the two leading characters might be the more sympathetic, but is thwarted by the twins' further interpretation:

"I like the Walrus best," said Alice, "because you see he was a little sorry for the poor oysters."
"He ate more than the Carpenter, though," said Tweedledee. "You see he held his handkerchief in front, so that the Carpenter couldn't count how many he took: contrariwise."
"That was mean!" Alice said indignantly. "Then I like the Carpenter best—if he didn't eat so many as the Walrus."
"But he ate as many as he could get," said Tweedledum.
This was a puzzler. After a pause, Alice began, "Well! They were both very unpleasant characters—"

The sun was shining on the sea,

Shining with all his might:

He did his very best to make

The billows smooth and bright--

And this was odd, because it was

The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,

Because she thought the sun

Had got no business to be there

After the day was done-- 

"It's very rude of him," she said, 

"To come and spoil the fun!" 

The sea was wet as wet could be, 

The sands were dry as dry. 

You could not see a cloud, because 

No cloud was in the sky: 

No birds were flying overhead-- 

There were no birds to fly. 

The Walrus and the Carpenter 

Were walking close at hand; 

They wept like anything to see 

Such quantities of sand: 

"If this were only cleared away," 

They said, "it would be grand!" 

"If seven maids with seven mops 

Swept it for half a year. 

Do you suppose," the Walrus said, 

"That they could get it clear?" 

"I doubt it," said the Carpenter, 

And shed a bitter tear. 

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!" 

The Walrus did beseech. 

"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, 

Along the briny beach: 

We cannot do with more than four, 

To give a hand to each." 

The eldest Oyster looked at him, 

But never a word he said: 

The eldest Oyster winked his eye, 

And shook his heavy head-- 

Meaning to say he did not choose 

To leave the oyster-bed. 

But four young Oysters hurried up, 

All eager for the treat: 

Their coats were brushed, their faces washed, 

Their shoes were clean and neat-- 

And this was odd, because, you know, 

They hadn't any feet. 

Four other Oysters followed them, 

And yet another four; 

And thick and fast they came at last, 

And more, and more, and more-- 

All hopping through the frothy waves, 

And scrambling to the shore. 

The Walrus and the Carpenter 

Walked on a mile or so, 

And then they rested on a rock 

Conveniently low: 

And all the little Oysters stood 

And waited in a row. 

"The time has come," the Walrus said, 

"To talk of many things: 

Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax-- 

Of cabbages--and kings-- 

And why the sea is boiling hot-- 

And whether pigs have wings." 

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried, 

"Before we have our chat; 

For some of us are out of breath, 

And all of us are fat!" 

"No hurry!" said the Carpenter. 

They thanked him much for that. 

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said, 

"Is what we chiefly need: 

Pepper and vinegar besides 

Are very good indeed-- 

Now if you're ready, Oysters dear, 

We can begin to feed." 

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried, 

Turning a little blue. 

"After such kindness, that would be 

A dismal thing to do!" 

"The night is fine," the Walrus said. 

"Do you admire the view? 

"It was so kind of you to come!

And you are very nice!"

The Carpenter said nothing but

"Cut us another slice:

I wish you were not quite so deaf--

I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,

"To play them such a trick,

After we've brought them out so far,

And made them trot so quick!"

The Carpenter said nothing but

"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:

"I deeply sympathize."

With sobs and tears he sorted out

Those of the largest size, 

Holding his pocket-handkerchief 

Before his streaming eyes. 

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter, 

"You've had a pleasant run! 

Shall we be trotting home again?' 

But answer came there none-- 

And this was scarcely odd, because 

They'd eaten every one. 

To finish, I'll post a pic.It was taken a year ago in Temple Bar (Dublin). It's a famous dish over here. Oysters and a pint of Guinness...but no worries! I wouldn't eat them! however my father and my boyfriend love them! hahaha I'm gonna tell them, next time:

You're The Walrus and the Carpenter! xD

But....I hope they get along better! ^^ for my own sake!
(Just kidding :P)

Oysters&Guinness in Temple Bar (Dublin)

Love,

♡Lorena Be-Bop♡

Molly Malone

Hello! What have you been up to? Today, I'll write about a traditional Irish song which is the most popular anthem of Dublin city: 'Cockles and Mussels'. It tells the tragic story of the beautiful heroine Molly Malone. She is the most familiar symbol of the capital of Ireland. That's why Lord Major of Dublin placed her statue at the botton of the famous landmark, Grafton Street, a must-see for shopping lovers.
The song tells the tale of Molly Malone who was a beautiful Irish fishmonger. She walked down the streets of Dublin, carrying out her trade. But she died very young due to a fever.
Actually it's believed there was a historical Molly, who lived in the 17th century. She worked as a hawker by day and as a prostitute by night, looking for clients at Trinity College, which was founded in 1592 as the 'mother' of a new university modelled after the collegiate universities of Oxford and of Cambridge; Too much prestige? Well, it was renowned for its debauchery as well he,he.
The name 'Molly' originated as a familiar version of the names Mary and Margaret. While many such 'Molly' Malones were born in Dublin over the centuries, there is no evidence which connects any of them to the events in the song. Nevertheless, in 1988 the Dublin Millennium Commission endorsed claims concerning a Molly Malone who died on 13 June 1699, and proclaimed 13 June to be 'Molly Malone day'.

A legend or a true story?

I utterly recommend you next article: 

Irish Historical Mysteries: Molly Malone

In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty

I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone 

As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow 

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh! 

A-live a-live Oh! A-live a-live Oh!

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh!

She was a fishmonger and sure it was no wonder

For so were her father and mother before

And they both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh!

A-live a-live Oh! A-live a-live Oh!

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh!

She died of a fever and no one could save her

And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone

Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh!

A-live a-live Oh! A-live a-live Oh!

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh!

A-live a-live Oh! A-live a-live Oh!

Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live Oh!

Molly Malone Statue (Source)

Miss Malone, Ms. Be-Bop and the Dublin bus x')

Love,

Lorena Be-Bop

Skerries...Ahoy!

Hello love!! What have you been up to lately? I have been pretty busy, but I'll get around to posting again!

Three weeks ago, we visited a small town in the County of Dublin. It's called Skerries, whose name comes from the word Skere which has descended into the Irish word Na Sceirí, which means 'The Rocks'.

Land Ho!

Where is Skerries located?

I fell in love with this seaside town and I'll come back over there as soon as I can. There is a complete website about the place where you can find further information like its history, culture, architecture and so on. Check it out, it's a lovely place if you would like to visit Ireland!:

Skerries Official Site

Historically, Skerries has been a thriving fishing port and a major centre of hand embroidery. In the late 20th century, it became a resort town (golf, sailing, motorcycling...), and a dormitory town for commuters to the city of Dublin (it didn't surprise me :)

This is me in Skerries Harbour...yep, I'm wearing a coat in August...¬¬'

Sailboat ♥

Old-creepy boats in Skerries Harbour

Sweet Shanie Boy! Much Better...:)

Dream Sight, isn't it?

Nice Shore... the water was so cool I didn't go for a swim :(

A little bit nearer...

Skerries...(sigh) I am looking forward to coming back! 

Lorena Be-Bop

Wet matches in Dublin

'The best way to stop smoking is to carry wet matches'

Some months ago, I wrote about tobacco. And today I've read last quote by an unknown author, that's funny! it is a good one, isn't it? Well, I have another way to stop smoking: Living in Ireland.

The average price of a package of 20 cigarrettes is 8,2 euro. Exorbitant! if you are a hardened smoker. In Spain, if I remember well, it's pretty much half of that price. I stopped smoking, as far as you know, but whether I like it or not, I wouldn't prepared to carry my hand luggage with many cartons of cigarettes, that's gross!:/

I'm posting some pics...Compared to my way of thinking today, those were completely different times. They look gorgeous, despite of the fact they are smoking...

What's your favourite smoker?:)

Cleo Moore

Rita Hayworth

Ava Gardner

Lana Turner

Marilyn Monroe

Brigitte Bardot

And of course...Audrey Hepburn

Cupán Tae

Ireland is a country of traditions. The most famous one is having a tea (or two, or three...). You won't find a work meeting, a convention, or other kind of event that doesn't allow for a morning or afternoon tea break on the schedule. Even in a job interview, the company would offer you a cup of tea. So don't reject it! Irish people take their tea very seriously.

Tea, whose slang is 'cha', was first imported to Ireland in the early 1800's where it became popular with the weathly people. In the mid 1800's, it spread to the rural people and all of Ireland was hooked. Small grocers were opened in the towns and villages and they started exchanging butter and eggs for tea and sugar. As far as you know, nowadays Irish people usually brew strong tea and adding some milk. This is an old-fashioned tradition. The tea that was available to the average Irish citizen was usually of poor quality and brewed strong, therefore it was consumed with plenty of milk.

If you want to know further information of the History of Irish Tea, check it out.

How to brew the best 'cupán tae'?

'Cupán tae' means cup of tea in Irish Language.

1) Fill your kettle with some fresh water (don't reboil)

2) Boil it. 

3) Drop a tea bag into a cup.

4) Pour some water from the kettle into the cup until 3/4 full

5) Allow it to steep for two to three minutes.

6) Use a teaspoon to remove the tea bag.

7) Pour some drops of milk into the cup.

8) If sugar is desired, place one full teaspoon of sugar into the cup with and stir thoroughly.

9) You might like adding some biscuits, a piece of cake or some mini-cupcakes ( as I did) on a plate along with your tea.

10) Enjoy!

Rainy days

I woke up depressed today, yep it's monday and I can't see a beam of sunshine. The weather forecast will be desperate in Ireland for next few days.

Nowadays, we check it out on Intenet but I've just wondered...How were weather reports in 1950's? I found next video on Youtube. It shows some cute animations about 'Weather Man' with a catchy song:)

To finish, I think the best way to cheer myself up is posting summer pics. What about some pics of Queen of the Pin ups? All of them were taken on a warm weather...I wish I could be in my hometown right now (sigh)!

<3 Love Bettie, Love Summer!<3

Lorena Be-Bop

Congrats Imelda!

The Irish singer, Imelda May has become a mummy for the first time today :)

A big congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby, Violet!

ROCK-A-BILLY star Imelda May, is now the proud mother of a baby girl, she revealed last night.

Earlier this year, the Liberties belle announced she was expecting her first child with guitarist husband Darrel Higham.

Yesterday afternoon, the 38-year-old informed fans via her Twitter page she had given birth to a daughter.

"Darrel and I are pleased to announce the arrival of Violet Kathleen Higham -- our beautiful baby daughter, born August 23 2012," she wrote.

The singer, who hails from the heart of Dublin's Liberties, kept up her touring schedule until late in her pregnancy and performed at an outdoor festival in late June.

She was a major hit during 'The Late Late Show' 50th anniversary celebrat-ions earlier in the summer where she showed off her baby bump in a green dress.

- Louise Hogan

Irish Independent (source)

 I am sure, Violet will be a rock'n'roll baby! :)

Take a break!

I am back already! Today, I started to work again. The return to work after the holiday period has been facilitated enjoying a break with my mates.

For this special day, one of my friend cooked yummy cupcakes. She is terrific! I took some pictures for Be-Bop Lashes.It was a lovely gift. She found the recipe on internet, it is called 'Old-Fashioned Cupcakes'. She made different Old-Fashioned frosted: Chocolate, Vanilla , Strawberry and Lemon.

For the first time, Cupcakes were cooked in United States in the 19th century, and it was revolutionary for the amount of the time it saved in the kitchen. There was a shift from weighing out ingredients when baking to measuring out ingredients. According to the Food Timeline Web, food historians have yet to pinpoint exactly where the name of the cupcake originated. There are two theories: one, the cakes were originall cooked in cups and two, the ingredients used to make the cupcakes were measured out by the cup.

In the beginning, cupcakes were sometimes called "number" cakes, because they were easy to remember by the measurements of ingredients it took to create them: One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one cup of milk, and one spoonful of soda. Clearly, cupcakes today have expaned to a wide variety of ingredients, measurements, shapes, and decorations - but this was one of the first recipes for making what we know today as cupcakes.

Cupcakes were convenient because they cooked much quicker than larger cakes. When baking was down in hearth ovens, it would take a long time to bake a cake, and the final product would often be burned. Muffin tins, also called gem pans, were popular around the turn of the 20th century, so people started created cupcakes in tins.

I want to finish my post with a sweet song (or creepy hehe) sung by Shirley Temple: 'Cuppycake Song'

With Love,

Lorena Be-Bop

Moonrise Kingdom

A couple of months ago, I went to the pictures and watched a lovely movie: Moonrise Kingdom. 

In brief, it sets on a British Island in the summer of 1965 and tells the romance of two teenagers who make a secret pact and flee from their home into the forest.

Moonrise Kingdom website

Moonrise Kingdom wikipedia

Today, I was walking down a beautiful Irish landscape that it reminded me of this movie. To finish, I'll show you my personal 'moonrise' pictures :)

This place is called 'Lough Dan' and it is near County Wicklow in Ireland. It is not a very touristic point, given that its access is a little bit rough, but it's worth to go there, and if the weather is good, to have a bath. If you would like to visit it, check out these links.

Lough Dan (Ireland)

Lough Dan map (Ireland)