Sunday, May 22, 2011

Happy Birthday Morrissey

Morrissey
(Steven Patrick Morrissey)
May 22, 1959

Today is Morrissey's  52nd Birthday!!! What is there to say about this man other then he's really one of the most talented people who's ever lived. His music and his words understand so many of us, the beauty, the silliness, the sarcasm, the frustration and sadness. Loved by Men women and yes Children, he's practically a saint, especially here in Los Angeles or should I say Moz Angeles haha. Even more so if your Mexican, us Mexicans, well Mexican Americans; we loove him (and he loves us too)!! He has a cult following a very religious like following not just here in LA, but I would say all over the world, even back to when it all started with The Smiths. Morrissey is one of the greatest lyricist and frontmen ever, with a voice, hairdo and dance moves that have a personality of their own! Oh and don't forget good looks and style too! I know for me in whatever mood I'm in, whenever I feel lost and alone Morrissey's words are there to comfort me (and lately I've been listening to a lot of The Smiths while I sit and sob, but it's not like that is nothing new). He's also inspired me to embrace my masculine side (through fashion, I've been buying more menswear for myself). I've never had the chance to see him live, but maybe one day I will.
Moz is perfection. An idol, an image, a hero and a saint. 
Thank you Mr. Morrissey and have a very "Un Happy Birthday"!


Today I'm not doing anything  "special"  for his birthday,  I would have loved to go to the annual birthday show that Sweet and Tender Hooligan's put on every year, I went last year and I think this year is going to be waay better I can feel it, but I have to finish sewing up a dress it's due tomorrow. Oh and even though I rather "throw my homework onto the fire"  hahaha (get it?) I guess I'll just be dancing away listening to The Smiths swinging my mother's flowers haha

"Take me out tonight..."
One of the greatest songs EVER!!

Be sure to tune into every Sunday's "Breakfast With The Smiths and Morrissey" on Indie 103.1 for a morning  full of Smiths and Moz and this sunday should be extra special!

For more info on tonight's Sweet and Tender Hooligan Birthday show check out:
* Check out the blog, http://memozme.blogspot.com/ She's an awesome Moz fan (but really she's just awesome in general), has a cool birthday post and drew a wonderful Moz drawing! I'll leave you with a Morrissey quote she posted, I've never heard of till I read her post, I can so totally relate.

"I'm capable of looking on the bright side, I just don't do it very often."
-Morrissey



Friday, May 20, 2011

Happy Birthday James "Jimmy" Stewart

James Maitland  Stewart
(May 20, 1908 - July 2, 1997)

Today would have been Jimmy Stewart's 103rd birthday!! Sorry this post is so late I almost forgot!!
 I love Jimmy Stewart he's one of my favorite actors and I have such a crush on him! I guess the first movie I had ever seen with him had to be "Rear Window" the Alfred Hitchcock classic and one of my favorite movies. I was just a kid when I saw it, I loved the movie, but I guess Jimmy always stayed with me. I also remember not to long ago like back when I was 18 or 19, I would often dream (like in my sleep) that Jimmy Stewart was my boyfriend! hahaha! But you gotta love Jimmy, and how can you not? He's a great actor, charming and handsome and how about that voice of his!! Not only that but he served in WWII and not just  in any branch but the Army Air Force!!! That makes me love him so much more (for two reasons he served his country for the most honorable war and secondly he was in the Air Force, which is my very favorite military branch)!!

Jimmy being awarded

 I'v seen a couple, but not all his films. For instance I've only seen clips of  "It's a Wonderful Life", it's a shame I know. However I have seen "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" and that was fairly recent. My brother saw it in his high school history class and loved it he said "Victoria you have to see this movie!", once I saw it I said, "Well why didn't you tell me it had Jimmy Stewart!" I loved it and I think my brother is a new Stewart fan, we're always quoting the movie and talking about his character.
Amazing!
A clip from 'Mr. Smith'. I love how his character is so sweet, genuine, honorable and completely cute and innocent! (kind of like him I suppose) My brother has such a crush on Saunders (Jean Arthur)

 Any who's I just thought I'd post a Happy Birthday to Mr. Jimmy Stewart, may you rest in peace, I love ya!!
Oh and I love that photo I posted of him, it's so modern he looks like a hipster, haha I love it!

A photo I took of Jimmy's Imprints at the famous and historic Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Out and About

Uptown Whittier Antique Faire
(April 23, 2011)
It was my first time going the the Uptown Whittier Antique Faire and I'd have to say it was quite good! There were a lot of deals, a ton of jewelry, knick knacks, furniture and clothes too! I made off with quite a few items that I've really been wanting. My only regret though was not buying a fox fur stole for only $25!! I've been wanting one soo bad! I know it's fur and I'm an animal lover, but if it's been dead for over 40 years I'm okay with it, plus it didn't have a head on it or anything. I some how convinced myself that I didn't need more fur, but one can never have too much fur!!

Some items at the faire

My outfit for the day; I received plenty of wonderful compliments! The dress used to be my mother's in the late 1970's, now it's mine! I paired it with my 1940's hat from Bullocks that I bought at a thrift store for only $6!! Talk about a steal!

Myself and my lovely friend and fellow ReVamp intern Ariana! She's Miss Uptown Whittier!! A very lovely Miss Uptown I would say. She also designs and makes a lot of her ensembles, like this lovely Black and White frock.

My lovely new Vintage Black Patent Leather handbag! I needed a new one my favorite one broke, so this is much bigger, which is great for carrying extras. I believe it's 1960's and it was only $10.

Two new hats!! I purchased both for $20, the Forest Green one is 40's I love it!! It's velour and it has a thin netting draped on the sides. The Red one is early 60's, it's such a cute little Boater hat with a bow and birdcage netting.

I didn't only get myself something I surprised my brother Angel, with a 1940's tie and vintage flask! He's been wanting both, especially the flask (mind you he's only 17). He wants it more for joking around as to use for underage drinking, haha he said I'm allowed to use it anytime. Oh and those are two vintage hair curlers that I bought for my grandma. She recently lost her hair curler that she had since she was 16, she uses it to curl her eyelashes so I bought her these two as a surprise.


(all photos by. Victoria Inez Rivera)

1939's The Women Birthday Party
(April 30, 2011)
I was invited to my fabulous friend Ashley's brilliantly themed  1939 "The Women" birthday party!! Held on the glamourous historic Art Deco luxury ocean liner the Queen Mary. All us ladies were asked and encouraged to dress as a character from the film, guys were invited too but since there was no men in the film they can come as there own glamourous selves.


The 1939 original trailer, not the crappy remade version with Meg Ryan! This has got to be the original chick flick! Comedy, drama, cattiness, fashion and an all star female cast!! It's a must see, especially since the entire wardrobe is Adrian, including a technicolor fashion show in the film!

Check out these dames!! The birthday girl is in the center with the biggest grin! She's so sweet and I must say on of the most glamourous women I know, I'm always so envious of her outfits and accessories. You can find a lot of her items or findings for sale on her etsy shop:



With my friend Lauren and the birthday girl herself. Lauren was "Peggy" (played by Joan Fontaine), Ashely was "Sylvia" (played by Rosalind Russell) I soo wanted to be Sylvia, she's hilarious and she has the best wardrobe, but there wouldn't have been a better Sylvia than Ashley she even had the eye blouse!!! I wanted it soo bad, I forgot to ask her if it was an Adrian original. I was stuck on just who to be, I thought about being "Lucy" (you know the owner on that divorce ranch in Reno), but at the last minute I decided to be a background character. You remember those fitting room girls wearing black dresses with their updos? I was one of them, my friend Ashley knew who I was as soon as she saw me! A couple of friends told me "Do you know you have a measuring tape around your neck?" haha

Here's a fitting room scene, she the fitting girls wearing black in the background.

Some of us gals going crazy! My friend Sari on the left was "Crystal" (played by Joan Crawford) I loved her dress it was to die for! Other lovely ladies, lysbett wore this awesome powder pink late 50's matching coat and dress with ostrich feather trim and Jayde owner of  Bell Jar Vintage wore her grandmother's late 1930's wedding dress!!

Me and my always dashing, dapper and handsome friend Andre.

Me and my friend 'The San Francisco Song Bird' Mikal Sandoval showing off our gams! As she likes to call it I'm her "Hotcha Muchacha" I love it!!

My brother Angel, looking very snazzy wearing that new tie I got him!!


Sipping away on a cocktail with "Jungle Red" nails haha! My dress is early 40's, I bought it at a friend's yard sale over a year ago for $25 and my 40's clutch though you can barely see it I also bought at the same yard sale for $5.

 (all photos by. Angel Rivera)

2011 Smiths/ Morrissey Convention
(May 1, 2011)
Well this year's convention was quite eventful and  an actual Smith showed up, the placed was packed like crazy, These Charming Men put on an awesome show, I met old friends, made new ones and met a blog fan! And I never thought I would be dancing to David Bowie's "Fame" at a Moz convention (not that it was a bad thing). To be honest I had fun, just not as much fun as I would have liked too. Being that it was so packed the dance floor was really cramped and really really sticky eww, the song selections weren't as good, I didn't get any free items this time. But that won't stop me from going again next year!

The dance floor

These Charming Men!! Even though I've said The Sweet and Tender Hooligans are the best Smiths/ Moz tribute band, I think it's correct to say they are the best in the US, but These Charming Men would be best foreign tribute band being that they are from Ireland. Their singer was a great Moz and swung those gladiolas perfectly!


Richard Blade with Andy Rourke of The Smiths

People went mad for these raffled off banners, they ended up having a dance contest which I found myself in. I personally didn't want a banner, but this guy I met earlier that night begged me to be his dance partner he really wanted a banner. I wonder if he won? haha

Do  you see that (what is it a Smiths single?) up in the left corner? It has Montgomery Clift on it!! Could it be any more perfect! I want it!! I just wasn't willing to pay the $60.

Me and my friends that I met up with later in the night

Literally as soon as I walked in the club, a stranger approached me and asked if I was Victoria. With confusion I said yes. He then asked if I was the "Victoria Vintage Girl", "Yes!" I exclaimed. I had just met a blog fan of mine for the first time! Englebert (or is it Ingelbert?) is a big Morrissey fan and had never heard about the convention until he read my blog, he thought he would check it out and had told his wife he had hoped to meet me. I was so thrilled, I hope they had a wonderful time at their first convention. (Remember Englebert you can find me on Facebook)

(all photos by. Victoria Inez Rivera)

Here's a video shot by my Facebook friend and huge Moz fan, Jay Tando of the 2011 Smiths/Morrissey  Convention. The Fan interviews are a lot of fun, very interesting and oh so relatable.




Monday, May 9, 2011

Happy Birthday Dave Gahan


Dave Gahan
May 9, 1962
Happy Dave Day everyone!!! That's what the Russian Depeche Mode Devotees like to call it, otherwise known as Dave Gahan's birthday. Today he celebrates his 49th birthday. If you're kind of confused right know or slightly puzzled, Dave is the frontman for the band, my favorite band the best band ever.. Depeche Mode!!!
I love this man more than words! Oh Devotion, he along with Martin Gore are my saviors (really they are)! In fact this past Friday the 6th, I went to go see if I could possibly meet or get a glimpse of Dave since he was being awarded by the MusiCares Charity Foundation which helps musicians overcome drug addiction. He's been a supporter of the charity and is a recovered drug addict himself. I was planning on going to the show the cheapest tickets were $125 and it was going to charity, but I don't know why I didn't go!! Biggest regret ever, well thus far!! Oh and yeah well a waited the three hours to see him, it turns out I was on the wrong side of the plaza brillant! :(

 Dave performed a cover of Joy Divisions "Love Will Tear Us Apart Again,"!! I'm really really in love with Dave's version.


Surprise guest Martin Gore of DM showed up!!!!


*** I really need to go to class!! So this is very short and very last minute, but don't worry I have tons more to post! I'm wearing my Dave Gahan shirt and buttons and I baked him a cake!! All pictures you need to see!! So they will be up asap! I really do apologize for this very simple birthday post it's unlike me, especially since it's Dave Gahan's birthday. Currently my computer is broken and I'm really having trouble uploading pictures and posting information from different sources, like my school for instance.

Okay I'm back now here are some pictures on how I celebrated:
Here I am wearing my "Girls Gahan Wild" shirt that I bought at the DM convention. I love it some people become a little confused or get the wrong idea about me when I wear this shirt. I merely tell them 'If you know about the band Depeche Mode you'll get it." it's kind of an inside joke haha. oh an that's the cake I baked him, French Vanilla if your wondering. I know the frosting is messy, but that's my problem as soon as I frost it starts to melt.

Wearing my DM and Dave Gahan Buttons, the bottle cap one I made myself.

What do you know! I was thrilled that on his birthday my Dave Gahan biography I recently purchased arrived in the mail! I can't wait to read it!!


I thought I would leave you with this Dave Gahan song off his solo album 'Hourglass'. It really is a favorite song of mine and truly beautiful. No even though what I'm about to say is quite grim, I sincerely mean it. 
When I die, can you please play this song at my funereal.


I really can go on for hours how much this man and his part in Depeche Mode have made such an impact on my everyday life how lovingly devoted I am, but I'm not. haha But If you'd like you can read last year's Dave Gahan Birthday post it pretty much explains it all.

Happy Birthday Dave Gahan!! I love you!!
Happy Dave Day DM Devotees!!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Happy Birthday Audrey Hepburn


Audrey Hepburn
(Audrey Kathleen Ruston)
May 4, 1929 - January 20, 1993
The lovely, stylish and iconic Audrey Hepburn would have celebrated her 82nd Birthday this today. She will always be one of the classiest and talented actresses to ever grace this earth. She was style, beauty, and grace wrapped into one. The girl next door with a funny sexy side. She will always be loved and missed.


Roman Holiday! Such a lovely film and with a cute co star!! It's been soo long since I've seen this film I've kind of forgot how it is was, but wouldn't Audrey make the perfect princess!


Paris, 1950's, Jazz, Fashion, The Backdrops and Audrey!! I've never seen the film, but I have seen stills and they bring me much inspiration!


The classic film that what I think really made Audrey into an icon of pop culture! It's always been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. It's always remained a style inspiration for me too; I don't think the term "Little Black Dress" existed before this film! And by the way that classic black dress is none other then Givenchy.


 I thought I would post this video of a live Morrissey performance were he covers "Moon River" the hit song from the classic Audrey film "Breakfast At Tiffany's". In the performance you can her hear Audrey dramatically crying in the background. I don't think anyone's ever made a better cover, and dare I say this version is better then the original. (By the way my comment has the second highest thumbs up on the video, it's not much but I'm glad some feel the same.)


Audrey singing 'Moon River'.

-Victoria

Friday, April 22, 2011

Happy Birthday Bettie Page

(Here is a clip of Bettie doing a little tease/ dance number for our viewing pleasure.)
Bettie Page
(Betty Mae Page)
April 22, 1923 - December 11, 2008
The Pinup Queen would have been 88 years old today. Though she may be gone she will never be forgotten and has forever made an imprint on pop culture and in history!
We will always love you Bettie!


Thursday, April 21, 2011

Happy Birthday Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop
April 21, 1947
(James Newell Osterberg II)

 Happy 64th Birthday to the Godfather of Punk!! At 64 he's still one of the sexiest and bad ass MoFo's ever, and yes he's literally old enough to be my father (my dad will be 63 next month)!!
He's one of the greatest frontmen ever! The whole rock n' roll scene owes him and The Stooges big time, they helped usher in the Punk sound and Iggy Pop practically invented the stage drive! Also taking it to a whole other level with antics like crazy dancing (which I love), crawling and bending his body- things of that sort, cutting himself onstage, smearing things on himself like peanut butter, indecent exposure and probably my most favorite and best of all his signature no shirt and skinny jeans!!
I've never had the chance to see him,  I tried to beg my mom to let me see him back in 2006 (I think?) with the Stooges but it didn't happen. One day I hope I can see the great Iggy!
A younger Iggy, oh so handsome!

A young David Bowie and Iggy Pop, they were like the best of friends, two peas in a pod! Eventually they ended up going their separate ways. I heard there were rumors that they even had like this sexual relationship! Now I think they have a more of an estranged relationship.
(I don't know, I have to finish reading my Iggy Pop biography [pictured below] I bought back in 2008, yeah it's a shame I haven't finished reading it.)


This is a photo of the show "The Venture Brothers" they had an episode were current Iggy and Bowie had like this big fight and Bowie turns into a cigarette! lol I have no idea I still haven't seen it and I have friends telling me about it!

Today I wore my Iggy Buttons; one of him recently and one of him back during "Lust For Life" (oh and of course a DM one as usual).

Favorite Tunes

Yes greatness!! Amazing song! Featured in everything from movie soundtracks to cruise commercials! It could be my favorite Iggy song?



A Stooges classic! It was even featured in the Rock Band video game.


Oh memories! I remember having the dj blast this song at my Sweet 16 birthday party, my family must of thought I was crazy.



I love this soong!! Another Stooges classic. You can be my dog Iggy!


A very favorite Pop song and a brilliant fan made video!!! Iggy Pop's "The Passenger" but together with clips of Classic Hollywood films. What could be better?


Did you know the original "China Girl" song was written and sung by Iggy Pop and not David Bowie. Bowie later did the song in order for Iggy to make some income since his Heroin addiction was going out of control. Awh the Iggy and Ziggy Days...how wonderful a duo! I think I much prefer Bowie's version though.


A frekin awesome song! It's so sexy and it has this psychedelic 60's feeling to me. I like to dance to it really slow.


80's Iggy! Love him! I love this song!


I love his cover of Real Wild Child!! Love it!! He's soooo sexy!!


I was soo thrilled that when Madonna (a longtime favorite of mine) was inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 she had Iggy and the Stooges perform her songs instead of herself. She said it's not fair that they've been nominated for 6 years, and being inducted  there wasn't a way they won't perform! Aww Iggy and Madonna another great combo!

Iggy the Actor
Iggy is quite the actor and has come out in a number of different movies. From comedies, indie films to children's movies!! I wish he would do more! Here are three of some of my very favorite movies which he comes out in!

Coffee & Cigarettes
A clip from the film "Coffee and Cigarettes" Directed by Jim Jarmusch 2004. A great indie film featuring a ton of amazing actors and artists. Iggy and Tom Waits having a chat. Here it's like Iggy's playing himself but he's not? A line that's stuck with me from this: "Pie and Coffee" haha


"Dead Man" Directed by Jim Jarmusch 1995 A favorite Johnny Depp film and my favorite Western! The way movies should be done (I really don't like westerns unless it stars Clint Eastwood). Iggy is absolutely hilarious as "Sally".


Here's a scene from "Cry Baby" Directed by John Waters 1990. My second favorite Johhny Depp film (at one point I knew almost the whole movie by heart)! I'll take this 1950's musical over Grease any day!! Depp, Pop, Waters 1950's Rockabilly Greatness! Iggy plays Cry Baby's Uncle "Belvedere".
(*FYI Iggy Pop and Johnny Depp have remained great friends for a really long time, they have a history but I wouldn't really go into that)


Happy Birthday Mr. Pop!

~Victoria