Greetings, sloots, and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday, today with a sunny visit to "The Pearl of the Antilles," as it was once called, or "El Cocodrilo," which translates to "The Crocodile," since viewed from above, this is the country's shape on a map. I speak of Cuba, of course, from yesteryear to today, where, if its achingly slow rebirth isn't quashed by El Jefe de Covfefe, distinctive music has and will hopefully continue to flourish. Since my delicious, squeezable hubs is from Cuba, I've long known about the country's culture, food and music, all of which are practically inseparable. And lucky for all of us, DJ Li'l Scratch is bringing home the Cubano tonight at "Mamar Pinga," the Manor's popular after hours bar, club and Lechon Asado eatery. Plus there'll be lots of barn-burning music. Of course. When people think Cuban music, they invariably think of Gloria Estefan.  Which is understandable, e...

I am at the end range of Xennials (1977-1984), which means I experienced a mix of Generation X and Millennial (1981-1986) years, and I definitely have some characteristics of both. I am a hybrid. I am like an X-er because I do remember playing outside in the analog years. I remember freedom, boredom, call waiting, no digital world, toughing it out, being independent, self-reliant, non-conformist, and prize individuality.  I have no respect for corporations, and I don't expect special treatment or trophies for just being me. But I am like a Millennial in that I place a high value on experiences over material things, I am optimistic, social, fiscally cautious, like being in mentorships and fostering community workplace atmospheres, and driven by values such as sustainability, transparency, work/life balance, and social responsibility. My parents were very involved with me, cared a lot about my inner world, and I wasn't a latchkey kid.  Generation X is often referred to as The Fo...

Credit: Getty Here's Selena Gomez at the "Rare Beauty: True to Myself" foundation launch yesterday in Hollywood. The 33-year old singer and cosmetics magnate sported a pink minidress from Prada's Spring & Summer 2026 collection.  Well, it certainly looks airy and comfortable. What do you think of this look, Peckers?

Portrait of J.O. David Bowie

 

Seen here in a fetching eyelet-embroidered gown, La Lana's life had much turmoil: her father's premature passing, seven tumultuous marriages as well as innumerable affairs (one of them ending with a dreadful finality on Good Friday, 1958). But far more devastating to her than any of those misfortunes were the critic's assessments of her performances. In her first technicolor feature, 1948's "The Three Musketeers," Pauline Kael wrote, "As Lady de Winter, Lana Turner sounds like a drive-in waitress exchanging quips with hot-rodders." And 20 years later, Kael was even more damning in her opinion of Turner in "Madame X": "She's not Madame X, she's brand X." Let's not even get into what some blogger had to say about Lana in "Portrait In Black" (my favorite of her films): "Indeed, Lana Turner takes all the prizes for making 'Portrait in Black' so watchable for me because hers is one of those truly awf...

Credit: Jordi Linares Riveras Here are Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway at the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico as promo for  The Devil Wears Prada 2 . The two are looking very chic in their outfits and sunglasses, conspicuously not wearing florals for Spring. Groundbreaking! The movie is set for release in May. Will you be checking it out?

Let's see if we're good this time... Hey there, music sloots and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday, today with an extra blast of fun from the 1970s. Which means disco, of course, but also adult entertainment, two things that were inescapable back in the day when attending them was considered the perfect movie for a chic night out. What does that all mean? What the hell am I talking about? I ask myself these questions daily, but tonight, at least, we can all learn the adults-only answers from DJ Li'l Scratch, who'll be bringing the sizzling disco tunes at the Manor's "Fapping Fodder" lounge and late night pizzeria.  That's when we'll meet a luminary who went from trained classical pianist to porn legend to unstoppable disco queen. "Scooby-wha?" you say. There's only one Andrea True, or Andrea Marie Truden as she was first known. Back in the late-1960s and 70s, when adult movies where cultural events, Andrea was a star, b...

1974 Photo Credit: Horst Faas / Associated Press

Credit: MTV Lauren Conrad recently reunited with her Laguna Beach cast-mates, Kristin Cavallari and Stephen Colletti, 20 years after their reality TV show first aired. The three filmed a Roku special to reflect on their experiences with each other and reality TV when it was first becoming popular.  While Cavallari and Colletti created a podcast where they discuss episodes of the show, Conrad seems happier to leave that experience in the past. The 40-year old shared that she thinks this is "the last time she'll interact with cameras" despite saying she did miss the people from the show. After Laguna Beach , Conrad starred in spinoff show, The Hills , which showcased Conrad and her friends including Heidi Montag, Ceiling Eyes Audrina Patridge and Lo Bosworth. The Hills ended in 2010 and we've not seen Conrad on TV since, so it seems the last 16 years have prepared us all for the devastating news that she doesn't plan to return to our screens. Since her time on MT...

The Librarian, 1566 Giuseppe Arcimboldo

 

  Did you know? Lots of important stuff happened in 1957, the saddest being the death of the great humanitarian and WWII hero, Raoul Wallenberg . But some good things happened also, like the establishment of the European Economic Community (the predecessor to the European Union). Also good, Americans got some of their first glimpses of great International Cinema, thanks to Akira Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" and Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal," starring that dreamy Max von Sydow: Also, Jimmie Rodgers had a big hit that year with "Honeycomb," so hop in your Bel Air and head to Arnold's to watch "The Ed Sullivan Show," he's going to be on in about 10 minutes! Happy Open Post, darlings! Photo Credits: AK, The Criterion Collection

Here's Miranda Kerr posing for the April 2026 issue of Marie Claire Australia . The 42-year old model looks refreshed in this Spring-themed shoot! Here are some more pics: Looking so lovely among the blooms , heh. Source: Marie Claire Australia

Hi'ya music sloots, and welcome to another edition of Manor Music Monday! Tonight, DJ Li'l Scratch will at the Manor's "Gimme A Stiffy!" bar and lounge playing tunes by a beautifully smooth vocalist who was also a polyglot, singing fluently in English, Italian, Portuguese, French, and German. In fact, her 1990 album, "Sabia," and 1993's "From Bassie to Brazil," are considered definitive jazz explorations of Brazilian Bossa Nova. And get this, she was also a successful writer. Her short stories were published in "Mademoiselle" and "Cosmo," and her story "Ramona by the Sea" won a prestigious O. Henry Award in 1975. In the category of "What Couldn't He Or She Do?" she's way up there. Yes, it's the amazing Susannah McCorckle, who was working as a translator and linguist in Paris in the late 1960s when she heard a recording of Billie Holiday singing "I've Got a Right to Sing the Blue...

Jane Kaczmarek, who played the hardworking matriarch of the Wilkerson family in Malcolm in the Middle , recently talked to People magazine about how she married her high school sweetheart 50 years after they first dated. Kaczmarek, 70, first met Rusty Long, 71, at Greendale High School in Wisconsin. She says Long was a big tennis star at their school and she was nuts about him from the start. Like many high school romances, the pair went their separate ways after graduation. Long went on to become a lawyer, while Kaczmarek studied drama and launched her acting career. Kaczmarek married fellow actor Bradley Whitford and had three children before they divorced in 2010. Long had two children in his marriage.  In 2024, the two saw each other again for the first time at their 50th high school reunion in Wisconsin. They went out for dinner with a group of friends and Kaczmarek recalled that "it was just immediate" and all her feelings came rushing back. Long accompanied Kaczmarek t...

By the Open Door, Early 20th Century Nikolai Astrup

  Barbie demonstrating how she prepares "Shrimp on the Barbie"! 

Sure, it's a blustery Wednesday in 1966 but there's still lots of fun to be had. We can go window-shopping, maybe check out a bookstore, or even order a cuppa at a "beatnik" coffee house! Better yet, let's hop in the Galaxie 500 and go to the movies, "Georgy Girl" is playing at the cineplex! Full disclosure: I've never seen this movie, but from everything I've read, Georgy never changes at all at the end, and that's a good thing. She gets everything she's ever wanted, while still being the same old dorky, goofy gal at heart. So let's all be the same old dorky, goofy gal (or boy) at heart. After all, it's Open Post, darlings! Photo Credit: AK