Friday Miscellany: Latest Obsession, Dogs, And A Sale
We’ve Been Watching…
We finished the Netflix series “Babylon Berlin” a few days ago, and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Set in Berlin in 1929 during the Weimar Republic, it’s part noir detective story, part political thriller, part period drama. From the Fritz Lang-esque opening credits, there’s a dreamy surrealism to the whole thing, tempered with gritty reality. The sets, costumes and cinematography are all top-notch. All of the main characters are complex and (mostly) morally ambiguous at times.
And Volker Bruch as inspector Gereon Rath isn’t too hard on the eyes, either.
The nightclub scenes are hypnotic, like Cabaret on mild hallucinogens and lots of champagne. Here’s a link to a video of one of the musical numbers. I’m not embedding on the blog as some of the costumes are not quite G-rated (definitely inspired by Josephine Baker…).
And there’s even an appearance from Bryan Ferry, performing as a nightclub singer in one of the episodes.
And now I really want a cloche-style hat. The show is all in German with subtitles, just to warn you, but I think that adds to the mood. It’s very compelling.
Have you watched Babylon Berlin? What did you think?
Goings-On At Home
Byron and Coco both had a follow-up echocardiogram yesterday. Their breed (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels) tends to be prone to heart problems (murmurs, valve disease and enlargement) as they age. About a year ago, Coco was showing some heart enlargement and high blood pressure, so the vet put her on a newish medication, Pimobendan. We noticed that she was more alert and perky within a few days of starting it, and her echocardiogram yesterday actually showed a slight reduction in her heart size, as well as reduced blood pressure. The vet was thrilled! Now Byron is showing some heart enlargement, so we’re putting him on the same medication. They’re both 12, and the vet thinks they’re doing very well for their age.
The crew has finally finished most of the interior work and rebuilding our back stoop. I’ll be taking some After photos this weekend! For the last few days though, we’ve been experiencing some weird electrical problems. The lights would periodically dim and flicker, and my washer and dryer would turn off and on randomly. I was worried that we had wiring problems until the guys working outside earlier in the week noticed that the wires from the transformer on the nearby utility pole were sparking randomly. We checked and the sparking coincided with our fluctuations inside. And then the next door neighbors confirmed that they’d been having the same problems. The utility company came out yesterday and found some bad connectors which they’ve replaced and now no more “ghosts in the machine.”
The Shopbop Sale
So I’ll confess, Shopbop isn’t usually my first stop when I’m shopping online. I suppose early on I associated them with trendy styles geared toward a younger demographic. But they actually carry a lot of brands that I normally wear, and I’ll sometimes be reminded of that when I’m searching a particular style and find it there.
Right now they’re having a “spend-more-save-more” sale, with up to 25% off. Those Sam Edelman shoes above are a great look-alike option to the popular Chanel cap-toe pumps.
I purchased a White + Warren cashmere travel wrap scarf during one of the year-end sales, and the quality is exquisite. It will definitely be going with me on my next flight.
Plaid and check jackets are having a moment, and this one in mint green is a softer and more feminine take on the trend.
And just because, espadrille flats with a sushi design.
What have you been watching lately? Anything good to recommend?
Bon weekend!
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Hello from a UK follower! I’ve also watched all of Babylon Berlin, I absolutely loved it, Lin
Your little doggies are adorable! I hope the new medication continues to work well for them. Can’t wait for to see pictures of the renovations!
That looks like such a fascinating series. Even today, Berlin manages to maintain a retro feel–at least some neighborhoods. Others are very avant-garde.
Hey, thanks for the tip on Babylon Berlin! Love your fresh look. (My tip: stay away from white boots.)
Just finished Babylon Berlin last week. Excellent!!
Thanks for the recommendation! Have been hovering over Babylon Berlin on Netflix for the last few weeks so I’ll definitely give it a try (love subtitled TV 🙂 ) Also love the Sam Edelman shoes!
What an interesting post today! Babylon Berlin looks intriguing and right up my alley. Right away, the tone/color in the photos attracts me, especially the greenness of her hat in the first pic. As an animal lover, I am so glad things are looking up.
Happy Friday and have a good weekend. Are you getting all that horrible rain I’ve been hearing about?
Thanks, Linda. At this point ANY rain is welcome. We are so far behind normal for the season.
I have been watching Good witch on Netflix. Don’t bother, it is so sweet it will crack your teeth.
I found The Good Place a funny series. When you thought you had figured it out, just before it was getting boring they came with a good twist. Really enjoyed that. Weird as it may be.
That scarf of yours must indeed be very soft. 100% cashmere. Great.
I am very curious to see the new kitchen.
Greetje
I second The Good Place Greetje! Though I recommended to friends who found it “too weird.” Not the first time I’ve been called that, so I shrugged. Glad you liked it too! BTW, love your Instagram posts!
I love the Good Place!
Pimobendan is a miracle drug! Our corgi mix collapsed with congestive heart failure and the canine cardiologist put her on that. We were told she might live another 3-6 months. She lived 3 and a half years to the ripe old age of 17. It is worth every penny! Wishing your puppies the best:)
Thanks for the recommendation — Babylon Berling looks like my cup of tea . . . or should that be a Martini?! So glad to hear your pups have perked up.
Abysinth would be the cocktail.
and how do we say “la fée verte” in German?
😉
Thanks for the recommendation on Babylon Berlin. My husband and I just finished up a season of Broadchurch, so we were looking for something new.
As always, great fashion finds!
Loved Broadchurch. Have you watched Shetland?
Thanks for Babylon Berlin, I loved Miss Fisher mysteries, Doc Martin, and Call the midwife. In my house Netflix is on, and the TV is not….so much. Love the “Chanel “ shoes. Thanks for your blog!
We cut the cable and stream Netflex, Amazon Prime and Acorn. So much to enjoy.
Miss Fisher is my favorite! For one thing, she’s an intelligent independent female, and for another, is IMPOSSIBLY stylish and elegant! The clothes are just fabulous.
Never saw Babylon Berlin but will check it out. Subtitles never bother me unless they’re in Italian. I understand Italian and find the subtitles a distraction. It would be like watching a program in English with the subtitles in English running along the bottom of the screen. Distraction. Your dogs are beautiful! I had two Cocker Spaniels and was going to make the jump to a Cav but two senior beagles caught my eye at a local shelter and they made their way home with me. One of them, Snoopy, is still with us at the ripe old age of 16. Not responsible for the name. I never changed it. He’s on a couple of meds and is doing very well. He will be my last dog. My girls live and work in Rome and it’s very difficult to leave him to visit. Terrible separation anxiety. I thought the same regarding Shopbop but you’re right, they do carry more classic pieces now. I’m a big fan of VINCE and Theory clothing and and I love Three Dots for tees. I’ve been lusting after CHANEL two tone pumps for years and may just make the jump this year.
I love all your posts and always enjoy them with my morning coffee. Keep up the excellent work!
PS You would look lovely in a cloche hat.
I adore Babylon Berlin – Berlin is my FAVORITE city in the world (I love Paris too, but Berlin is where I feel at home). If you are interested in another great German series, look into The Same Sky – Tom Schilling just is wonderful and the 70s clothes bring back memories!
Another Babylon Berlin fan! Just finished watching last week.
It’s not on Netflix, but, I enjoyed the Marvelous Miss Maisel on Amazon. It’s a pretty production with gorgeous costumes with a substantial story line.
My husband lived in Berlin and speaks German so Babylon Berlin is intriguing. We must admit – after watching one episode, we are so confused! And assume the story will get clearer in subsequent episodes!
We’ll be looking for Berlin Babylon!
Love your style! Pups are adorable. Will check out Berlin Babylon. You might like Velvet also on Netflix. Set in the 50s in Spain. Clothes and soundtrack are wonderful. Velvet is a high end clothing store and the storyline about the owner(s) and staff. Cast and characters are great!
Shabbat shalom! Its on the list….watching Marvelous Miss Mazel! Keep well!
Shabbat shalom! Loved MMM.
We’re enjoying Babylon Berlin, too. You can go to the audio settings and have the movie dubbed in English and turn the subtitles off. I think this is the 3rd series I’m watching that is set in Berlin! Makes me want to go back and visit again.
Babylon Berlin is fabulous. And yes, Volker Bruch is easy on the eye and such a good actor. He was also in Generation War (Our Mothers, Our Father’s as a title in Germany).
Glad your doggies are doing well.
Thanks for the tip – we’ll start watching today. Your dogs are so adorable and I’m looking forward to seeing your finished remodel. I miss being in that business….sometimes.
Hurray for shoeshi!
So glad your pups are doing well. A good friend lost her female Cavalier to an enlarged heart before Christmas. I don’t think they knew about the drug. Thanks for the tip on BB. I’m so into subtitles now. I’ve watched the Spanish series like Velvet (a bit racey in parts), The Time in Between, The Grand Hotel, and Cable Girls. Now I’m hooked on Turkish series–Morocco, Kurt Seyit and Sura, and Lovebird. The Turks are emotional basketcases and can be quite funny. They cry bucketloads of tears that stream down their faces and drip off their chins at the drop of a hat, but can be sweet and syrupy romantics, too. I love reading the subtitles! Have a beautiful weekend!
Blessings…
just finished berlin babylon and loved it–so louche!! The “feel” of it (production values I guess) reminded me of Cabaret somewhat. Your little guys look so good…veterinarian medicine has evolved right along with ours so a bad diagnosis isn’t the doom it once was. My little frenchie died 3 weeks ago from kidney disease that was managed successfully for months–at 11, not a bad age for his breed. (and I, like the Turks mentioned in above comment, have been crying bucketloads.)
You had me at Bryan Ferry
We enjoyed that series too. As far as the cloche goes, it looks right when you have the clothes for it to look coherent, perhaps wide-legged pants (did you see Charlotte’s, gathered at the ankle? with a fitted blouse) or a tea-length dress. A tailored coat, or crisp jacket. Oh and a man in a sweeping tweed overcoat 😉
Will definitely watch Babylon Berlin. Need to see the clothes during that period – for a 1930’s theme party scheduled in May for a friend’s mom who’ll be turning 90
On a lighter note _ Queer Eye on Netflix 5 gay guys do a makeover on a male -who needs help with wardrobe /life. It’s very warming – think relationships / power of love / moisturiser !
Thanks for tip on Babylon Berlin. My husband and I watched it in 3 nights. Loved it. Looking for the next best thing. I am not a T.V. or movie watcher at all but really liked this.
Just finished Babylon Berlin, loved it, very noir, complex, adult. My cup of tea, thanks!
I’ll be watching BB next! It’s on my list from your last recommendation. If you haven’t seen Poldark, you’re missing something. It’s on Prime, Hulu and PBS. Set in Cornwall, this historic drama has breathtaking cinematography, great story lines, costumes, etc. And the lead, Poldark, is the best eye candy ever! We also just finished Longmire on Netflix. Wyoming sheriff (more eye candy) neighboring a Cheyenne reservation. The first 5-6 episodes are very formulaic but hang in there. All of a sudden, it takes off! Lots of Native American culture included. It is one of the best series we’ve seen.
Before watching Babylon Berlin, see Amanda Hallay’s YouTube doc on fashion in the Weimar Republic in Germany: the period after WW1 before Hitler. Fascinating tumultuous period when the East German police, the Stasi butted heads with the Brownshirts (forerunners of Nazis) and the old Reichstag officers who sought to return Kaiser Wilhelm to power. Meanwhile the Russian Revolution of 1917–1918 produced an influx of Bolsheviks and Trotskyites also vying for power in Berlin. Throw in Stalin worshippers too. In the middle of these groups is the political police, many of whom were on the take. Fascinating period after the Treaty of Versailles which ultimately led to WW2 since Germany was humiliated and poverty rampant. It could not pay its reparations.
Enter our hero Gereon Rath, a policeman from Cologne sent to Berlin’s Vice Squad for an important secret mission. And we meet Charlotta Ritter, an ambitious but destitute typist who works as a prostitute by night at a wild luxurious dance and prostitution club to support her family, with dreams of becoming a Inspector with the Berlin police.
Gereon has shell shock from WW1 and is a morphine addict to control his shaking.
Sounds interesting?
Throw in a subplot involving the Russian family Sorokin gold being smuggled by train from Russia to Berlin. Everyone wants the gold to fund all the various revolutionary factions.
The drowning sequence at end of season 2 will leave you speechless!
The books by Volker Kutcher are not as good as the TV series which cost some $40 million.