Gloria Swanson Frock Competition - RESULT!

Well, the competition has closed and the winner has been announced. The answer to the question, "Which fruit did Gloria Swanson regularly keep in her handbag?" was AVOCADO. Quite a few of you guessed correctly, and everyone amused me greatly with their reasoning for choosing certain fruit, but only one person could win the frock and that person was the lovely Brian Dennis - portrait painter extraordinaire.

The exciting news is though that Brian did say that if he DID win, he would paint a portrait of someone wearing the dress (not sure it is his size!) so I'll keep you posted as to who that is going to be. In fact, I got a text from him this morning that suggested he might run his own competition to find a sitter to wear the frock.... So you may still get a chance my lovelies!

I am back from a little Easter visit to my folks which was lovely and I've just scoffed some Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad which was yummy. Much to do this afternoon and tomorrow. Mostly watching 1940s fashion newsreel items. It's WORK you know!!

Joan Bennett's Baked Salmon

"With all of Constance's juggling of dates over the years,
I started out as the youngest, then became her twin
and finally wound up as the oldest sister."

It's a Bennett sisters bonanza this weekend. My very own Sister of the Shellac Veronica is coming over tonight for baked salmon then I'll be cooking up Constance's Spanish Chicken tomorrow for Ava and Edmund. "Sisters, sisters, never were there such devoted sisters..." I am enjoying lots of sisterly stuff at the moment both from my real one (love the email system) and my surrogate ones. Lots of girl energy this week.

Isn't this picture of Joan amazing? I shall be channeling her energy this evening as I am going on what feels like my first night out as a single woman for around 15 months. Weird. After the salmon Veronica and I are going OUT. Yes, OUT. I've forgotten how to do it...

Regarding the salmon, it's a bit of an experiment. Joan's recipe includes bacon and as Veronica is a veggie I am replacing that with tempeh. Could be good, could be a disaster, we shall see.

Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad

I have found the cigarette pen that Ruthie and I had so much fun posing with in her jeep, pretending to be smokers, and also the fabulous cowboy hat ashtray she gave me. So now I really feel my dressing table is complete. When I was walking through the park that is a stone's throw from my new place this morning I felt a sudden surge of happiness. I am truly in the right place for me, right now.

Tonight I will have an evening of self-indulgence. I shall make Joan's Beetroot Salad and watch her and James Mason in The Reckless Moment. I haven't seen this for over 20 years and am intrigued to see if the scene that has stuck in my mind ever since is just as I remembered it.

Joan Bennett is dragging a body along a beach wearing the most divine sunglasses ever. The thing I remember about the scene (apart from the accessories) is the absence of music. It was such a dramatic moment and it seemed all the more ghoulish because all that was on the soundtrack was the sound of Joan's efforts to get rid of some evidence... We shall see.

Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad

"I don`t think much of most of the films I made,
but being a movie star was something I liked very much."

The response to the call for test cooks has been enormous - how very, very exciting. I'm intrigued by the range of choices - are people selecting based on the star or the recipe or both? Hard to say! Still plenty on the list of 100 though so if you'd like to join in, don't hesitate to get in touch.

I've moved to my cat sit spot in Crouch End and had a fun night last night with eating Jean Harlow's Celery a la Shrimp and Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad as accompaniments to the genius fishcakes Paulette rustled up.

For the first time in my life I have coveted my neighbours goods, Paulette has the most beautiful set of 1950s plates with fishy illustrations. There is a gorgeous gravy boat to match with a scary looking lobster decorating the sides. Ebay here I come.

Joan Bennett's Beetroot Salad

"I don`t think much of most of the films I made,
but being a movie star was something I liked very much."

I'm feeling rather low this weekend after Sidney & I decided to call it a day. Very sad. Very sad indeed. I feel an extended period of cooking on the way. And lots of work on the book.

I'm spending my Sunday recovering from a wild Eurovision party last night. It was just what I needed, the company of some very good, very old friends, copious amounts of booze and lots of a-whooping, a-hollering and a-warbling along. And today, I'm being very self indulgent. Drinking G&T in the afternoon, scoffing Joan's Beetroot salad and watching the Come Dine With Me omnibus. Spinsterdom. Again.

Joan Bennett's Baked Salmon

"If only Vivien Leigh had stayed in England,
that part would have been mine."

Hmm. I presume Joan is talking about Vivien's role in Gone With The Wind there. Intriguing. Can't imagine Joan in that part.

Well, bouncing up and down to the Kaiser Chiefs on Friday seems to have dislodged the feeling sorry for myself molecules. I'm still planning to download Nick Cave singing, "Nobody's Baby Now" just in case I need it though. I have reprogrammed my phone so that the screensaver has the floating message, "NOBODY CALLED!" which makes me laugh everytime I see it.

I am turning my energy to the writing and a strong streak of fiction scribbling has appeared out of nowhere. I guess all the energy I have been putting into men is being redirected. Good. A sea change.

Joan's Salmon was kind of weird. I did a veggie version for Paulette which was probably nicer than the bacon infused version myself and Ivor waded through. The beetroot, goats cheese and lentil salad was much nicer.

I apologise for recent confusion between Warner Baxter and George Bancroft - the brain has been boy addled.