14 years ago today, Audrey left us. It's hard to believe, really, especially when you see her nearly every day in some way, shape, or form. It's nearly impossible to get away from her, when you get right down to it. From seeing her unique face stenciled on a sidewalk or mailbox to passing a girl on the street in ballet flats and capri pants, Audrey Hepburn is everywhere.
It's hard to believe that someone who spent her whole life trying to live her life privately and quietly could end up permeating society so thoroughly, but there you have it. Life is funny like that. It's "what happens to you while you're making other plans," as John Lennon once sang. How could this have happened, though? How does one start life as a distinctively average girl in a small European country and end up being one of the most beloved people in history?
By not trying, of course. We'll never know how much was in her nature and how much was brought about by her difficult childhood, but Audrey saw things differently than most. She had been through more in a few short years than most would go through in ten lifetimes, and she was wise enough to see how sacred life was, and that we should be grateful to wake every morning. Her life was spent in the pursuit of simple happiness, the kind that can actually be achieved: surrounding yourself with the people you love. Material possessions meant nothing, and can be taken away at any time. While she was always dressed in the very best, the clothes were but a physical armor against the harshness of the world. She had learned that what really mattered was loving and being loved, and she shared this wherever she went. She had the world at her feet and an enviable career that most people strive vainly for, and walked away from it all in a second because it didn't mean as much as being there for her children and her family. And while we don't have quite so many films to enjoy her in now, I'm sure her children are grateful they actually had a mother growing up, and she passed on at peace, knowing that she had done the best she could for them.
During her last Christmas with her family, Audrey read her favourite poem, one that is often erroneously credited to her, written by Sam Levenson. Here is the entire poem, since it sums up her life's aspirations so well:
Time-Tested Beauty Tips
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowlege you'll never walk alone . . .
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed and redeemed . . . Never throw out anybody.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
Beautiful poem, isn't it? And so very Audrey. So while she has been gone for 14 years now, we know that she is still very much alive in many aspects. What we can't forget, though, is the humanitarian side. It's wonderful to remember her beauty, her sense of style, and her lovely films, but to forget the hard work of the last years of her life would be to render her two-dimensional. To live a good life is a great deed, but to make another's life good is an even greater deed. Remember all her hard work for UNICEF, and keep alive that side of the many-faceted Audrey Hepburn. Remember, we all have two hands.
I'll leave you with a video clip. This is Audrey's last ever film role in Always as, appropriately, an angel. What a perfect memory to leave for us.
Sirius satellite radio will launch a new weekly radio show titled "Barbara Walters' Best of the Very Best," and for the first installment, an interview with Audrey Hepburn will be featured! The first week's episode is about leading ladies, and besides Audrey, actress Diane Keaton and Sophia Loren (a real-life friend of Audrey's) will also be featured. In Audrey's interview, she confesses to falling a little in love with all of her leading men, and hopes that out of all her film roles, she would be remembered for Roman Holiday. The first episode will air Monday, January 22 from 6-7 pm EST on channel 102. For more information, go here.
Next up, a 13 year-old leukemia survivor got an Audrey-style makeover to celebrate the remission. I know it's not terribly Audrey related, especially when you read the story, but it struck a chord with me and I really wanted to share the story. The girl's name is Krystal, and she had her teacher along with her for the makeover, and student and teacher ended up getting matching pixie haircuts! It's a really sweet story, and I recommend reading it, if just to add a little balance to your day. To read the whole story, go here.
Last for today, I mentioned Katie Couric's Breakfast at Tiffany's themed birthday a few days ago, but it seems that her celebration is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way. From the invitations, which featured a drawing of Katie as Audrey Hepburn, to the shindig being held at Tiffany's, people say that she's acting inappropriately. They even go so far as to compare her to Marie Antionette, which is just strange. To read more, go here.
There's a new review up on The Fabulous Audrey Hepburn for The Children's Hour, for those of you who need or like reviews. And with all the other reviews on the site, if you have seen the film or read the book, please feel free to leave your own review! I know people like hearing from other fans as to what they like and don't like, and you really do help out. Go here for the review.
Edit: The day after I wrote this review, another one comes from AfterEllen.com! The review is a very good one, written by and for people who deal in real life with what Karen and Martha went through in The Children's Hour. While the review does contain a couple of smaller spoilers, I would definitely recommend reading it, and I think it says a lot for the film when a reader says that it's still one of the best gay/lesbian films around.
There's yet another new picture book coming out on Audrey! This one, called Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's: Photographs by Howell Conant, features pictures of Audrey onset for publicity photos and candid pictures during filming of her most iconic film, Breakfast at Tiffany's. The description on GermanArtBooks.com, which has the most information I can find yet, says that there are also fashion shoots, but it's unclear if they are Tiffany's related or not. All photos in the book were taken by Conant, who was also a good friend of Grace Kelly's, and there is some text written by actress Leslie Caron (who was often referred to as "The Other Audrey Hepburn"). And here is the release information for various countries -- at least as much as I could find at this time: U.S. and Canada: May 2007 UK: ? Germany: February 2007 France: ? Japan: February 2007
The book is 80 pages long, with 40 colour and duotone plates. Ooh, I can't wait!
Next, with all the buzz around the Golden Globes and upcoming Oscar nominations, everyone is gravitating towards red carpet talk. A new list has come out naming the top 7 Icons That Have Shaped Red Carpet Jewelry, and Audrey came in #2! She was noted for her understated tastes and simple jewelry, while contemporary Elizabeth Taylor came in at #1 with her more flashy, diamond-oriented tastes. To read the full list, click here.
Last up for today, there's a few more Audrey Hepburn film screenings to mention. San Jose's California Theatre, which screened Breakfast at Tiffany's last weekend, will be showing My Fair Lady this coming weekend. You can find all screentimes and dates here, as well as ticket information. The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, which screened Funny Face earlier this month, will be showing Charade on Sunday, January 21st. Ticket information can be found here.
Actually, maybe the headline should read "How Not To Cook Sabrina -Style," since this article is about soufflés. We've long held the misconception that they're incredibly hard to make and more delicate than eggshells, but The Chicagoist is out to prove that rumor wrong. A soufflé is sort of like a crème brûlée when it comes to ingredients and cooking, but the important part of the cooking of a soufflé is to not let it be exposed to any cool drafts while cooking or else it will collapse. (Can you tell I love to cook?) So here they give you an easier version of Martha Stewart's chocolate soufflé recipe that it's hard to fail on (though if you read the comments, step #2 forgets to stipulate that you are working with the egg yolks, not the whites. Big difference.) Also, cream of tartar is, in fact, important to the recipe because it stabilizes the eggs and prevents it from becoming chocolate soup. Unless you're into that sort of thing, of course. So, without further ado, a chocolate soufflé recipe that even Sabrina Fairchild at her unhappiest couldn't mess up.
Edit: Forgetting the cream of tartar will not, in fact, leave you with chocolate soup. I think the only way you can really get that is to pull a Sabrina and forget to turn the oven on at all. :)
You might have heard about this already, but for news anchor Katie Couric's 50th birthday, she decided to have a Breakfast at Tiffany's themed party. Katie wore an Audrey-inspired little black dress and joined her 200 guests at Tiffany's, a rare occurance for the jewelry store. I haven't found any pictures of the event yet, but you can read more here.
Next up, a woman talks about her lifelong obsession with shiny things -- jewels, to be exact -- and how it took the loss of her life's collection and a modest woman named Audrey Hepburn to turn away from that obsession. This woman is a journalist and got to interview Audrey and couldn't help but notice Audrey's modest choice in jewelry: two small pinky rings on her fingers. Though very small and modest, Audrey glowed over them as if they were the crown jewels because one had been given to her by Robert Wolders, her companion, and the other by her two sons. An important lesson was learned that changed a woman's life, and it makes for a lovely read. To read the full article, click here. The Audrey pertinent section starts 7 paragraphs up from the end.
And lastly, if you're in the US or Canada (or have satellite cable), Turner Classic Movies is airing Paris When It Sizzles this month on the 26 at 8 pm. Keeping with their annual tradition, TCM will have their 31 Days of Oscar, which will showcase movies that have won Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Costume Design, Best Original Song, Best Actor and Best Actress. Quite a few Audrey films will be featured, of course, and you can see exactly when they're going to be on by going here for February's schedule and here for March's schedule.
By not trying, of course. We'll never know how much was in her nature and how much was brought about by her difficult childhood, but Audrey saw things differently than most. She had been through more in a few short years than most would go through in ten lifetimes, and she was wise enough to see how sacred life was, and that we should be grateful to wake every morning. Her life was spent in the pursuit of simple happiness, the kind that can actually be achieved: surrounding yourself with the people you love. Material possessions meant nothing, and can be taken away at any time. While she was always dressed in the very best, the clothes were but a physical armor against the harshness of the world. She had learned that what really mattered was loving and being loved, and she shared this wherever she went. She had the world at her feet and an enviable career that most people strive vainly for, and walked away from it all in a second because it didn't mean as much as being there for her children and her family. And while we don't have quite so many films to enjoy her in now, I'm sure her children are grateful they actually had a mother growing up, and she passed on at peace, knowing that she had done the best she could for them.
Beautiful poem, isn't it? And so very Audrey. So while she has been gone for 14 years now, we know that she is still very much alive in many aspects. What we can't forget, though, is the humanitarian side. It's wonderful to remember her beauty, her sense of style, and her lovely films, but to forget the hard work of the last years of her life would be to render her two-dimensional. To live a good life is a great deed, but to make another's life good is an even greater deed. Remember all her hard work for UNICEF, and keep alive that side of the many-faceted Audrey Hepburn. Remember, we all have two hands.
