WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CAR EVER?

The Alfa Giulia GTAm (above) has been voted by Alfa Romeo fans as the greatest car the Italian company has ever produced.

Based on the 1750 GT Veloce, the GTAm – which stands for Gran Turismo Alleggerita Maggiorata (a reference to the fact it was lightened and its 1,750cc engine enlarged) – won the European Touring Car Championship in 1970, confirming its place, along with that of the car's Dutch driver, Toine Hezemans, in history.

Forty years later, it has beaten the modern 8C Competizione in a poll that asked Alfisti (Alfa Romeo followers) to name their favourite car as part of the company's centenary celebrations.

WHICH IS YOUR OWN FAVOURITE CAR EVER? WAS IT YOUR VERY FIRST… ?

Happy Ruby Tuesday to everyone in Australia, New Zealand and the Far East where it’s already Tuesday!
And do visit other posts! (Links at Work of the Poet.)

Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)
PS Have a good week, see you again for Alphabe-Thursday and a shout-out to all new friends!

FANCY A CANNIBAL MEAL THIS WEEKEND?

There are rumours of an alleged “cannibal restaurant” opening soon in Berlin based on the Wari culture of endocannibalism, the reverential consumption of a member of one's own society after their death! Whether true or not, Shaka Zulu restaurant (above) has just opened in Camden, London, offering an authentic taste of Africa (grilled zebra, anyone?) in an atmosphere of Zulu extravagance (but definitely no cannibalism! Not that is, unless the chef falls out with the commis and throws a strop...)

But you don’t have to look far for other themed food joints. Have you heard of Marton, a "Modern Toilet Diner" in Taiwan? Here, customers sit on seats shaped like lavatories, consuming carefully sculpted chocolate ice-cream (think!!) out of mini toilet bowls! Then there used to be Eternity in the Ukraine, which was cosily located inside the world's largest coffin (but business died) and a restaurant in Ahmadabad, India which is actually inside a Muslim cemetery.

But that’s not all. Fancy eating in a prison? Well, you’re spoilt for choice! There’s Chain Cool in Beijing, The Jail in Taiwan (again), and even in the UK, The Clink where not only are you dining inside an actual prison (High Down), but you're served and catered to by actual prisoners!

WHAT'S THE MOST BIZARRE THEMED RESTAURANT YOU KNOW OF, AND HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DECENT MEAL IN ONE?

Happy Six Word Saturday! Other great posts @ Show My Face.
Have a good weekend and see you again for Ruby Tuesday.
Mwah!
XOXO LOLA:)

BLUE IS FOR ...

Dear readers, I am participating in Alphabe-Thursday where BLUE is, apparently, the world’s most popular colour – both in the natural world and that of fashion.

As for fashion, unlike the previous rainbow colours we’ve considered, I adore blue! Before we jump into a favourite old pair of jeans and tee though, let’s have our little couture-fix and take a look at some examples:

KEY:
1 Michelle Obama, Vogue Jan 2009 (above)
2 Versace ~ January Jones (below)
3 Versace ~ Eva Longoria
4 Temperley, London
5 Temperley ~ Jennifer Lopez
6 Bilingual
7 Bilingual ~ Paris Hilton & Rachel Bilson
8 Elie Saab ~ Dita van Teese
9 Louboutins (close up) ~ Dita van Teese
10 YSL ~ Kristin Scott & Diane Kruger
11 Roberto Cavalli ~ Nicolette Sheridan
12 Oscar de la Renta ~ Jennifer Morrison
13 Preen ~ Rihanna
14 Alexander McQueen
15 A McQueen ~ Marisa Tomei & Fergie

Now, as for the world of art, here’s a recently sold blue Picasso:
And, as for the natural world, where shall we start? Let’s kick things off with these:
Nasa images from satellite:
Blue flares from sun (solar tsunami):

Bear protecting its privacy from photographer:

Moon jellyfish:

I ADORE BLUE IN ANY SHADE FROM POWDER BLUE TO NAVY! BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU – DO YOU LOVE OR HATE IT? WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE? COULD YOU WEAR ANY OF THESE DESIGNER OUTFITS?

Do tell me! And do check out other Alphabe-Thursday posts

@ Jenny Matlock´s great site!
And, finally, thank you to all my dear readers and also new followers who visited or commented last week!

Have a great weekend and see you again for Six Word Saturday!
Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)

CAN YOU GIVE ME DIRECTIONS...?

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS LEMUR IS DOING: ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS, A TIP OR IS HE RUNNING FOR OFFICE?

Happy Ruby Tuesday and Rednesday to everyone!
And do visit other Ruby Tuesday & Rednesday posts! (Links at Work of the Poet & Suelovescherries.)

Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)
PS Have a good week and see you again for Alphabe-Thursday!

FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR LUNCH TODAY?

Tired of the usual burger and pizza? Local House, a Dubai restaurant, uses camel meat as its main ingredient in soups, curries, salads, pizzas, chops, escalopes etc etc. Even desserts are made with camel milk. And, should you not fancy that, there’s always camel chocolate!

Now, I do like trying new dishes (having eaten whale meat in Finland, horse meat in France where, of course, it’s been consumed for, er, donkey’s years and even sheep's eyes in the Middle East) but I’m not sure about camel. Apparently, it’s like veal but quite a lot tougher!

WHAT IS THE ODDEST FOOD YOU'VE EVER EATEN? AND WHERE?

Happy Six Word Saturday! Other great posts @ Show My Face.
Have a good weekend and see you again for Ruby Tuesday!
Mwah!
XOXO LOLA:)

GREEN IS FOR ...

Dear readers, I am participating in Alphabe-Thursday where GREEN is the vibrant colour of the natural world: trees, plants and so on. (More below.) The very symbol of life and all things positive, the second most popular colour after blue. In one aspect of the manmade world - interior décor - it is for me, though, another problematic colour. It’s not just that I dislike it, I detest it in kitchens and bathrooms (my apologies if you’ve just installed that beautiful avocado green bathroom or pistachio-hued kitchen of your dreams!) - doubtlessly a hangover from fraught childhood visits to dentist/hospital waiting rooms which were always that dismally dirty shade of “calming” green. As for fashion, I’m not sure…! Before we jump into that favourite old pair of jeans and tee, let’s have our little couture-fix and take a look at some examples to help us make up our minds:

KEY:
1 Valentino (above)
2 Same Valentino - Rachel Weisz (below)
3 Jason Wu
4 Jason Wu - Diane Kruger
5 YSL
6 YSL – Becky Newton
7 Karen Zambos
8 Karen Zambos - Katherine McPhee & Garcelle Beauvais
9-10 Diane von Furstenburg
11 Lanvin - Leighton Meester
12 Proenza Schouler – Amy Adams
13 Max Azria – Camilla Belle
14 Balanciaga – Miranda Kerr & Ali Larter
15 Naheem Khan – Katherine Heigl
16 Canine couture snapped here last winter (designer unknown)

Now, as for the natural world, my love is for one thing only. As anyone who’s read it will know, quite a few lines are devoted to the subject in my psychological, suspense novel, The De Clerambault Code:

All profits to charity (see sidebar). Click HERE for amazing reviews & further details!

Now, if any writer declares their books are never autobiographical, don’t believe them! Where does all that inspiration come from, do you suppose? Some golden-haired muse sitting on our shoulder whispering sweet nothings in our ear all day long?!

So, we leave today with my favourite fix of GREEN: trees. For their timelessness (some thousands of years old), their sense of continuity between generations (standing under the same tree as your great-grandparents did), their beauty and variety. Here, then, is one that, for me, sums up all the above (do you have a favourite too?) - the English oak:

I'M STILL NOT CONVINCED THAT GREEN SUITS ME! “NOTHING DOES!” I HEAR YOU CRY! (WAIT UNTIL BLUE, VIOLET I SAY!) BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU – DO YOU LOVE OR HATE IT? COULD YOU WEAR ANY OF THESE DESIGNER OUTFITS?

Do tell me! And do check out other Alphabe-Thursday posts @ Jenny Matlock´s great site! And, finally, thank you to all my dear readers and also new followers who visited or commented last week! Have a great weekend and see you again for Six Word Saturday!
Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)

WASH & BLOWDRY!

I love going to the salon for any kind of treatment! Pure bliss. But I have yet to meet a man who likes even having his hair cut!

You know how we love being pampered...

Not forgetting the personal touch, of course ...

WHAT ABOUT YOU? DO YOU KNOW ANY MALE WHO ENJOYS HAVING HIS HAIR CUT? DO TELL ME!

Happy Ruby Tuesday to everyone in Australia, New Zealand and the Far East where it’s already Tuesday!

And do visit other Ruby Tuesday and Rednesday posts! (Links at Work of the Poet and Sue Loves Cherries.)

Enjoy!
XOXO LOLA:)
PS Have a good week and see you again for Alphabe-Thursday!