no-neck monsters!

RIP Liz. Once I dressed up as her for Halloween (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof). I can't imagine a world without Elizabeth Taylor.

This has been very encouraging

Last night, when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Tom Waits said this:

I just want to know if there's a keychain version that I can keep with me just in case I hear someone say, "Pete, take the cuffs off. I think he's a Hall of Famer." Thank you for the kind words, Neil. I'm honored to be honored. And, gee, I don't know where to begin. Songs, uh, are really just interesting things to be doing with the air. I love working with tunes. I love music, but we really want music to love us. Neil was saying the other night, he said, "When there's a song approaching it's kind of like there's an animal in the room, and you don't want it to run off." You know, how did it get in?

I was, uh, fifteen and I snuck in to see Lightnin' Hopkins. I put white-out in my hair and I drew on a mustache and I put on an overcoat and I stood there and I said, "Ticket for one." Amazing show. Every time he opened his mouth, that orchestra of gold teeth was just devastating. And then I saw him leave the show and he walked through a door and slammed the door behind him. And on the door, it said, I swear to God, "KEEP OUT. THIS ROOM IS FOR ENTERTAINERS ONLY." And I knew at that moment that I had to get into show business as soon as possible. So, uh, that was a real big one for me. And I've had the pleasure and the privilege of playing with a lot of great musicians over the years. Some of you are here and some of you are not here. Some of us are on the wrong side of the dirt, as they say. But any day on this side of the dirt is a good day, for me and for all of us.

Let's see, what else? They told me I should talk for quite a while, but I don't intend to. I fully do not intend to. I'd like to thank my family. They know me and they love me anyway. My wife and her incandescent light that has guided me and kept me alive and breathing and sparkling. And my kids who, well, they taught me everything I know. Or maybe they taught me everything they know. I don't know. They taught me a lot.

Okay, I did the bit about the door and the club. Um, the first time I went onstage, my face felt like it was made of plaster and if I smiled, it would crack off, and I thought, "This is such an interesting [Christian?] experience" and somehow wanted more of it. They say I have no hits and I'm difficult to work with, and they say that like it's a bad thing. [crowd cheers] The only thing I really can compare this to is I was given the key to the city of El Paso several months ago. It was a really kind offer. They told me there's only one key to the city, but I found out later there were a whole lot of them, and they fit nothing. So, I'm just hoping there are some fringe benefits that go along with this baby. Thank you very much. This has been very encouraging.

Taken one year before her first album was released. So cool. Photo by Richard Corman.

no-hope

Why am I so preoccupied with winter boots? All I want is a plain black leather pair that come up to the top of my ankle with a bit of a heel. In Auckland, it is impossible. I whinged to Lou about this, and she said they're everywhere in Melbourne, but that's always the way. New Zealand is a boot desert. There are no good boots here, unless you're after the massive-wedge-lace-up-cut-out style. There are heaps of those. Below, the Alexander Wang Addison boots (unattainably expensive), Jeffrey Campbell Areas (sold out) and the mystery ones in Miss Crabb's look book. 

hitched

Two of my favourite people are getting married (really soon!) and they have something special planned for their cake which I'm pretty excited about... It's special in quite a different way to these spectacular monochromatic lovelies but I'm loving the boar cake and it just reminded me of how not-bland weddings can be if they want to. I know weddings think about this stuff.

The top picture is from Once Wed and the white cakes are all by Emily Miranda via I'm revolting.

oh I wish

Perfect: no make up (jealous), cheek bones, relaxed hair without a massive fringe, vintage jacket, brown silk shirt, vintage belt, blue velvet pants. Man.