Visions of Sugarplums: Maria Tallchief

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is The Nutcracker. I don't always have a patient companion to attend a live version of the ballet with me (I'm still hearing about the time I dragged my now-husband then-boyfriend to the Boston Ballet version in 2004), but the music never fails to put me in the Christmas spirit especially the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Maria Tallchief originated the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the modern, New York City Ballet version of the ballet. She was born in Oklahoma to a Scottish/Irish mother and her father was the chief in the Osage Nation. At age 17, she auditioned for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in New York City and quickly rose through the ranks to be a featured soloist.

In 1946, she married the lead choreographer for the New York City Ballet George Balanchine. Maria became the first prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet (1947-1960) where Balanchine created many of his greatest works for her including his version of The Firebird and the now-famous modern version of The Nutcracker where she starred as the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Maria retired from the New York City Ballet in 1965. With help from her sister Marjorie, she founded the Chicago City Ballet in 1981 and served as its artistic director until 1987. In 1990, Maria served as the artistic advisor to Von Heidecke’s Chicago Festival Ballet, a post she still fills.

The Luckiest

Our long awaited wedding photographs have finally been posted! You can see all of the highlights on our extremely talented photographers', Justin and Mary Marantz, website (Part 1 and Part 2). If you have a few extra seconds, please leave a comment on their posts (if I make it to 75 comments, I get a free gallery wrap)! I'll consider it a belated wedding present if you do. . .


Talia, my incredible bestie and harpist at the ceremony, spent the night before and the day of calming me down.


My maids helped me make all the bouquets the night before at the rehearsal dinner with grocery store carnations and roses. Not bad, huh? If you look closely, there are two pink pins at the bottom of the line of white pins. They were my 'something borrowed' and from my maid of honor bouquet at my bestie Sarah's wedding in the summer.


We saw each other before the ceremony and I'm so glad that we did. I was crazy nervous before the wedding and felt a hundred times better after seeing my groom. It was really great to have a little private moment together.






Best bridesmaid dresses ever. Don't they all look gorgeous?


I was so excited to finally be married that after the ceremony I forgot my bouquet at the alter- whoops!

Happy Friday! All Hail the Queen

When I was growing up, I had one idol: Aretha Franklin.

Picture me, a 13 year old slightly chubby white girl, hanging out for hours on end in my Connecticut bedroom. In between fluffing my bangs and dreaming of getting out of the suburbs, I pretended I was Aretha Franklin. That's right, while my peers awkwardly danced to Mariah Carey and the Gin Blossoms in the school gym I was lip syncing the blues in my bedroom and wishing I owned a soul food restaurant in Chicago.



Thank God for Aretha Franklin! Who knows how many chubby white girls she saved from tragic existences with that voice.

Flashdance

I swear I was a showgirl in a past life. Either that or a magpie.

Every burlesque show I go to, I'm in awe of the costumes. Sequins, lace, feathers, glittered corsets, tulle tutus, velvet gloves- yum. It seems like such a waste to live a life of button downs and loafers after walking in the sunshine of all that sparkle.

A lot of small time burlesque girls (as opposed to the rock-stars of the industry like Dita) make their own costumes, which makes me love them even more. Girls with smaller sequin budgets have to reuse a lot of the same elements and pieces of their costumes. There's something so endearing about hand-made, ever-evolving costumes. Last year's Indian costume's fringe from the Thanksgiving spectacular is recycled into this year's Bob Fosse tribute (Darwin would love that).

Vaudezilla: made up of Red Hot Annie, Donna Touch, Wham Bam Pam, Bonny Babs, Maria May I, and Barret All

Dita Von Teese

Jo Weldon

Wrapped Around Your Finger

Some presents are (almost) too pretty to unwrap aren't they?








Photos courtesy of Martha Stewart (who else?)

Mushroom Kingdom

New shoes! Yes!

I picked up some gray suede Me Too booties at Crossroads for a mere $14 (a Christmas miracle!). Now all I need is a cool kids party and for it to stop snowing in Chicago long enough for me to where them.

Want it Now: Wrist Corsages

I have a thing for unnecessary accessories. They're always one huge "it" accessory that shop girls everywhere promise will refresh and update everything in your wardrobe: feathered hairpieces, bow headbands, wide belts. Remember when everybody and their mom had a Pashmina? Who knows what next season will bring. Sock garters, perhaps? Or maybe superhero masks?* Whatever it is (let's face it), I'll buy it. I'm really hoping that by this time next year I'll have a closet full of wrist corsages.


They have so much more potential than prom! I love the idea of wearing a big beautiful peony on your wrist for special occasions. Remember that 'Sex and the City' with Carrie's book party? She wore a pretty pink bubble dress and accessorized with a sweet wrist corsage.

I'd wear this belt as a wrist corsage from J. Crew. It's a mini garden of silk and organza and is on sale and going on my Christmas list. It's so rich looking it could add an instant pedigree to any jeans-and-tee-shirt outfit.

J. Crew Silk Bouquet Sash, $25 (on sale from $35)

*Only if I'm lucky, right?