Tim Curry: Actor, Singer...Gardener

 

By now you've probably heard that Tim Curry died (the same day as Dolly Parton, actually-- you can read my tribute to her here). If you didn't know him from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you probably know him from Clue, IT, Muppet Treasure Island, or one of his many other roles (he also did a lot of voice acting, so you've likely heard him, as well as seen him). He brought an amazing energy and glee to the characters he portrayed. I always thought he was a little scary, in the best possible way. He seemed like he would be a lot of fun to hang out with, and I wish I'd had the chance.

It was only recently that I found out that he was also an avid gardener! 

Tim not only created gardens wherever he lived, but he also worked on friends' gardens, including Freddie Mercury's, and restored historic properties around Los Angeles. When he bought his Aberdeen Ave home in LA in 1993, he spent six months clearing out weeds and restoring stone paths that had been buried under feet of dirt. By the time he sold it seven years later, the 1.45 acre property was filled with 150 rose bushes, a cactus garden, a koi pond, and 100 camellias around the pool. He even installed two benches--one where he could watch the sun rise, and one where he could watch it set.

He chose to downsize, moving to a more manageable property (about a third of an acre) in the same neighbourhood as his previous house. Even with a much smaller yard, he still created a courtyard full of potted plants, layered terraces with plants native to California, and stone alcoves for privacy. Gardeners always find a way.

By the time he died, he couldn't physically work in a garden anymore, due to mobility issues after suffering a stroke in 2012. But while a hired team did the labour, Tim still directed the design. He had a beautiful garden outside his house to enjoy until the end, with mature trees and greenery. We should all be so lucky.

Photos of his gardens seem to be limited, but here are a few that I found:

What do you think of Tim Curry's work, in his gardens or otherwise? Share in the comments...

Take care of yourselves...

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com.  

Happy 159th Birthday, Canada!

 

Wishing a very happy Canada Day to everyone!

Here's to the true North, strong and free, for another 159 years, and many more 🇨🇦

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Holidays are perfect for reading...

Bleeding Heart

Love Lies Bleeding

Blood Magic

Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

 

Don't forget to follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com 

 

Arts & Crafts with Dior

 

I was going to post something craft related today, but looking through older photos, I found some I'd taken at a past Christian Dior exhibit. It's not exactly crafts, but these dresses are works of art.

Dior's "New Look" was all about femininity: full skirts and cinched waists (if I recall correctly, he tried to bring back corsets). I totally understand why women didn't want to go back to these kinds of restrictive styles after the general comfort and freedom of 1930s and 40s fashions, but a part of me also wishes I could've dressed like this (the part of me that forgets how much I prefer being comfortable).

I love these ribbon details. If my sewing skills get a little better, I'm tempted to add something like this to a skirt.

I also think gloves should make a comeback. In this post-covid world, it only makes sense.

The dress above looks like something from a fairytale, and the one below looks like something Marilyn Monroe might've worn...

I'm not usually one for beading on my clothes (maybe I should be?) but the beaded collar on this dress is just amazing. I don't think my photo does it justice.

Speaking of beads, these necklaces were also part of the exhibit...

The exhibit also highlighted some of Dior's perfume bottles, which he designed:

This dress was included at the start of the exhibit. I don't remember if it's a Dior, or if it was there to show some of his influences, but I love it, so I'm sharing.

What do you think of Dior's New Look? Which dress is your favourite? And who is your favourite designer of the past (I also love House of Worth and Callot Soeurs). Share in the comments...

My Books

Love Lies Bleeding

Bleeding Heart

*Blood Magic

*Tooth & Claw

(Links take you to all available stores. Love Lies Bleeding and Bleeding Heart are also available in paperback.)

Cheers,

Aspasia

PS: Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com. 

All photos by Whimsy Bower/Aspasia S. Bissas.

A Short History of Aspasia of Miletus

Those of you who've glanced at the "About Me" section to the right of this column have probably noticed my name is Aspasia. Yes, it is my real name ;) It came to me by way of my grandmother, who in turn was named after her grandmother. I would love to know how far down the line this tradition extended but, unfortunately, record keeping was pretty much nonexistent in Greece during centuries of Ottoman occupation. Sometimes, though, I wonder if the line of Aspasias in my family could possibly stretch all the way back to the first known Aspasia: Aspasia of Miletus.

Aspasia of Miletus was born in 470 BCE and died in 400 BCE. Although born in Miletus (in present-day Turkey), she found her way to Athens, where she made an impression. At a time when Athenian women led severely constricted lives, Aspasia was independent, outspoken, publicly active, and renowned for her intelligence (she influenced and impressed intellectuals and philosophers, including Plato and Socrates). At some point she caught the eye of Pericles of Athens ("...arguably the most prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator and general of Athens during the Golden Age...") and they fell in love. Unable (or unwilling) to marry, they chose to live together as partners.

Aspasia is commonly thought to have been a hetaera, which many people have wrongly interpreted as meaning a prostitute. In reality hetaerae were trained companions, more akin to the geishas of Japan. As an occupation, it would have appealed to a woman used to more independence and freedom than what was allowed in ancient Athens. My opinion on the matter, however, is that whether Aspasia was a hetaera or not, the term "whore" was, is, and unfortunately probably always will be applied to strong, outspoken women by people, cultures, and societies that don't approve of strength and outspokenness in women. Not always popular among her contemporaries in Athens, Aspasia was an easy target for such insults, as well as a number of unfounded allegations. At one point she was put on trial for impiety (she won). She was also accused of being responsible for the Samian War, the Peloponnesian War, and even for corrupting the women of Athens.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to be completely certain of the accuracy of what is known of Aspasia's life. But the fact that her memory has survived at all (particularly through millennia of patriarchal bias and the suppression of Hellenistic culture by the Greek Orthodox Church) is kind of amazing. In some cases, she's even been honoured: a species of orchid, a type of viola, and a butterfly have been named after her. On International Women's Day, Aspasia of Miletus is still a source of inspiration.

Aspasia lunata

Viola 'Aspasia'

 

Parantica aspasia

 

If you'd like to know how to pronounce "Aspasia" correctly, here you go (I had to wade through several incorrect videos before I found this one, which was incredibly frustrating):

 

  

 

To read more about Aspasia, check out these links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspasia

http://www.pappaspost.com/7-badass-greek-women-of-antiquity-you-might-not-have-heard-of-before/

http://www.ancient.eu/Aspasia_of_Miletus/ 

http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/characters/aspasia_p2.html

http://classicalwisdom.com/political-woman/

 

[Edited to add pronunciation guide and to update links. Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com]