Balenciaga and Spain...dazzling exhibit @ de Young Museum! San Francisco salutes Couturier's fashions!

 



Years ago, President John F. Kennedy admonished wife - Jackie – when it came to his attention that the stylish 1st Lady was indulging in expensive designer creations bearing the label of celebrated Spanish Couturier “Cristobal Balenciaga”.

Too lavish?

What would common folks around the country think?

The brouhaha died down somewhat, however, when one of her staunch supporters – Joseph P. Kennedy (the President’s father) – discreetly footed the bill.

Today, the designer – who passed to spirit in 1972 – is still hailed as one of the fashion greats style-conscious women are inclined to bow down to.

Now, the prestigious de Young Museum showcases Balenciaga’s creations in a dazzling exhibit:

BALENCIAGA AND SPAIN

In essence, the curators at the de Young explore the impact of Spain’s culture, history, and art on the celebrated designer.

The collection – painstakingly researched and presented by Vogue’s European Editor at large – is truly a stand-out which features costume holdings and several exquisite Balenciaga gowns once worn by discerning well-heeled socialites in San Francisco (such as the likes of Mrs. C.H. Russell, Eleanor Christensen de Guigne and Elise S. Haas, to name a few).

The Exhibit curator – Hamish Bowles – has been exalted by critics who have gushed that under his tutelage – a varied and rich history advocating and preserving Balenciaga’s remarkable talents (and well-earned fame) have been captured in the minutest of spectacular eye-catching detail.

The “timeless” creations are on exhibit through July 4th.

LOCATION

de Young Museum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA

MUSEUM HOURS

9:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.
(Tuesday thru Sunday)

9:30 a.m. – 8:45 p.m.
(Fridays)

Mondays
(Closed to public)

CONTACT

www.tickets.famsf.org

415.750.3600

http://www.thetattler.biz

Balenciaga and Spain was organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Major patrons are the San Francisco Auxiliary of Fine Arts & Museums & Christine Suppes.
Lead sponsors are Marissa Mayer and Zackary Bogue & Diane B. Wilsey.

Exquisite fashion statement by Balenciaga!



Curator hob-nobs with tony elite @ Balenciaga Opening Night Celebrations!



Barack Obama...no shirtless pot shots! $2500.00 blue plate specials...

Barack takes splash in Gulf's healed waters!

Barack steps into Hollywood glamour circles tonight!

In a bold-faced effort to boost the tourist trade in the State of Florida - Barack & Michelle (with a 1st daughter in tow) - jetted down to the Gulf Coast overnight for a fun relaxing day of sun and sand and surf.

"The beaches are open for business," the President assured Americans, just before he stripped down to his trunks and splashed about in pristine torquoise-colored swells, that rolled in on inviting sandy white beaches.

The setting was right for an exotic Cocktail, but the Prez sprang for ice-cream instead, to his handlers' relief.

Fashionistas probably noticed here was a style switcheroo or two.

Instead of wonky old "Mom" slacks, the President sported black designer jeans, with breezy white silk shirt open at the collar.

Sexy!

But, the sun-drenched junket was not without a tense moment or two.

Although Obama was in a festive mood, he still managed to warn the press about one thing.

"No shirtless publicity stills, please."

Meanwhile, the President will be sorting through a handful of pricey dress shirts tonight, as he prepares for an entrance at a ritzy high-profile fund-raiser in Hollywood.

A who's who of celebrities will cough up $2500.00 a ticket to rub shoulders with Barack Obama (and toss in an extra five hundred bucks to stick around for dinner).

That must be quite a burger!

Insiders have confirmed that Pop Diva Barbra Streisand and the award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg will attend the chi-chi affair.

Undoubtedly, the two high-profile power brokers will be forced to slip inside the gates of the Hancock Park estate in a clandestine fashion, to avoid  protestors expected to rally outside in the street voicing their disapproval over Obama's failure to take action on pressing immigrant issues.

Elsewhere in the tony enclave, irate residents were angry with the local police, for neglecting to inform motorists about the President's scheduled speaking engagement.

Undoubtedly, they hurled a few choice words at the President's motorcade as it roared by, while they stewed in the sweltering sun in snarling traffic jams until late in the evening.

Michelle's stylish Spain vacation caused a stir!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Michelle Obama....modern-day Marie Antoinette? Takes flack for Spain holiday...

Jet-setting Mama Obama!

Oh, give the gal a break!

Michelle Obama's jet hardly touched down in Spain beforer her toughest critics were sharpening their knives and circling for the kill.

Whether it was a newsman  at Fox - or  malicious reporter at the New York Daily News - it didn't matter!

Michelle Obama was ripe for the reckoning.

Even a posse of blood-thirsty poison-pen-pundits have been hammering away at the normally well-received poised 1st lady.

In this instance case, though, the critics were lambasting Michelle over everything from the trip's price to a travel warning on the State Department's website.

At issue?

Allegedly a travel warning was posted on the State Department's web site accusing that racist prejudices could lead to the arrest of Afro-Americans who travel to Spain.

So, was Fox (a perpetrator of one noisy newsbite) expecting Michelle to protest to the webmaster, cancel the vacation (booked in advance at premium cost), or or argue ad nauseam in a bold-faced effort to dispel the wild attacks on her integrity?

How, by holding a press conference?

On her holiday, nonetheless!

Would you? 

Talk about waste.

Since the alert was "deleted" two days prior to Michelle Obama's arrival, the controversial finger-pointing placed Fox in a curious foot-in-mouth position.

The issue is moot now, isn't it?

In retrospect, it appears that trigger-happy Fox - out to "get" Mrs. Obama - jumped the gun needlessly.

Ouch!

Then, the Huffington Post - author of one acid-tongued article - went out on a leafless limb when they included quotes from a supercilious OP ED article with the specific aim of sticking it to Michelle, too.

A writer (so unworthy of a credit that I won't give it) chastized Michelle for not only taking the holiday - but also for reserving a suite at a five-star hotel on the chic Costa del Sol Hotel - known for its tony expensive environs.

Although handlers explained that the Michelle Obama was going to pay for personal expenses out of her own silk purse, that didn't assauge the nasty of-line-critics who - come hell or high water - were bent on getting their pound of flesh (no matter what the consequence).

When the ridiculous scheme failed to pan out, the screechy nosebody proceeded to attack the Obama twosome- not only on the costliness of the Secret Service detail - but the wisdom of jet-setting to exotic locales during tough economic times that have prevading on these oil-soaked shores.

Oh, pooh!

From a logical point of view, it should be pointed out that had Michelle stayed at a cheaper hotel (she was lodged at the Ritz  Carlton, one of the gripes from her opponents) the costs would have been higher since lower-profile Hotels would have probably needed to hire on special security forces to handle the 1st Lady's sudden arrival.

When the mediocre writer pointed an accusing finger, and labelled Michelle Obama a modern-day Marie Antoinette, I laughed out loud at the lunacy of it all.

How cliche!
Let them - um - eat cake!

http://www.julianayrs.com/

Spanish Banks...strong assets. The secret?

American bankers should give Spain the nod.

After all, so far - they've come through the financial crunch - unscathed.

"From the point of view of financial stability, the Spanish institutions have shown greater resistance capacity than in many other countries," Bank of Spain Governor - Miguel Fernandez Ordonez - proudly noted this past week.

However, Ordonez was quick to point out that bank income would drop as the collapse of a domestic housing boom and the global crisis slammed Spain's economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign financing.

Consumer spending has taken a dive as the number of people out of work in Spain hit an eleven-year high of 2.6 million in September.

Ordonez also added that Spain could suffer its first negative economic growth in fifteen years during the fall/winter season of 2008 and expansion could be lower than the government's forecast of one percent in 2009.

In spite of this, the government forecasts a rebound in the second half of 2009.

Spain's two biggest Financial Institutions - Santander and BBVA BBVA.MC&gt - have so far continued on strong legs.

On National Public Radio this morning, it was pointed out that one fourth generation banker in Spain managed to build assets at his financial institution in the past decade or two - and thus - was able to remain relatively calm and secure throughout the banking crisis in recent days.

What was the secret of his bank's success?

In a clipped no-nonsense style he revealed his motto which made a lot of fiscal sense.

"If you don't know the financial product, don't buy it," he warned to anyone within earshot.

On a parting note, he offered up additional sound advice.

"If you don't know the person, don't do business with them."