May 17, 2010

Good and Bad in the Magazines at the Grocery Store

As I was waiting in line in the grocery store {this is where the people who really know me begin laughing}, I started looking through the magazines in the line.

I gasped when I saw the cover of People Magazine, with the beautiful Yeardley Love on the cover. If you don’t know the story, Yeardley was murdered about two weeks ago by her boyfriend. yeardley-love-peopleThey were both students at the University of Virginia, were both on the college’s varsity lacrosse team and were both from wealthy Maryland families. 

I knew Yeardley’s mother, Sharon, in high school, when she was my sign language teacher. She’s still teaching hearing-impaired children in Baltimore City’s Public Schools System. She was gracious, charming and just a wonderful woman. I am sure that her two daughters were exactly like her. sharon & lexi donnellyThe take-away lesson from this is that abuse can happen to anyone. If you suspect that a friend, family member or colleague is being abused by their partner, please let someone in authority know. Abuse can be prevented.

On a much more cheerful note, the other magazine I was reading in the loooong grocery store line was Oprah (another Baltimore connection). I spotted the most amazing picture of one of my favourite books: I Married Adventure. Byredo (from 'by redolence') is a new  brand from Stockholm, with fragrances inspired by the memories and experiences of founder, Ben Gorham. The fragrances are created with a distinct focus on craftsmanship and quality.scan0140"I Married Adventure" is a box set consisting of Byredo's five best selling fragrances to date, including Gypsy Water, Rose Noir, Bal d'Afrique, Pulp and Chembur. Each fragrance comes in a 30 ml bottle and tells a unique story of a diverse origin remembering India, Africa and parts of Europe.IMA Byredo 

The June issue of Elle Decor, which is their largest June issue ever, names the top five decorators to watch, and amongst them is blogging pal, Grant K. Gibson of San Francisco. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Grant in person, but have been reading his blog since the first day he started writing. grant gibson I hope that you’re still reading magazines, and not just getting your information on-line!

9 comments:

  1. "Yeardley was murdered about two weeks ago by her boyfriend."

    Accused, tried and convicted already.

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  2. What a tragedy.

    On a lighter note, no pun intended, and speaking of fragrances, have you tried the new Voyage d'Hermes, yet? The House of Hermes is promoting it as a unisex scent. Refill squeeze bottles are available. I think this is something new for Hermes, perhaps a nod to going green. I'm eager to try it, but I live in the provinces and have been unable, thus far, to get my hands on it.

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  3. Anon@22:39... I don't think that there's a whole lot of question about who did it.

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  4. Anon@22:46.... I have tried it. We were actually at the Hermes store in Virginia right before Easter, and I got a sample of it. It's a lovely green scent.

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  5. Meg--I have to admit I actually bought the magazine. Such a tragic story....and I agree, the guy confessed....I am not sure what else is left to say on that. Thanks for reminding us that abuse comes in many forms...we should be vigilent and look out for those around us.

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  6. "Accused, tried and convicted already." -Anonymous

    Umm, yes. He DID murder her. HE himself described in detail to police how he tried choking her and repeatedly SLAMMED her head and face against the wall and other parts of the rooms structure. That is murder, not an "accident" as his family and sleazy attorney are portending to the media and public. Murder. Pure & simple.

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  7. So let's not prejudice the jury by convicting him in a public forum prematurely. Let's make sure that we get a clean conviction and make sure the justice is served properly.

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  8. So many lessons from this tragedy. Question No. 1: How do we teach young (and not so young) women to recognize abuse and to stand firm in their own personal integrity (as in completeness). So sad--so many lives destroyed or in tatters.

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  9. Hey Anonymous accused tried & convicted...uh no how about confessed.
    And by the way next time grow some balls & but a name to your convictions.

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