book review of Audrey Hepburn: The Paramount Years

Thanks to chipmunkalvyne from The Audrey Hepburn Circle for pointing out that there's a videotaped review of Audrey Hepburn: The Paramount Years up on You Tube. The book won't be out in the US until the end of this month (March 29, to be exact), so it's exciting to get an Audrey fan's perspective on the book while also getting a sneak peek at all the pictures. Don't worry, there's enough of the book left unseen to make your first go-round with your own copy as exciting as ever.

You can pre-order here if you haven't already. And if you don't mind sneak peeks, Amazon has some fantastic previews up already.

Next up, Ray-Ban is having an advertising contest for the month of March. If you own a pair of Ray-Bans, whether they be the classic Wayfarers that Audrey and James Dean sported back in the 50s or a more modern make, Ray-Ban wants to see you wearing them! Your picture could be posted in Times Square for all to see. Click here for the entry form and more details.

And finally, a reader from the Hamilton Spectator wrote in to thank the media for finally giving Audrey Hepburn credit as a humanitarian and activist, and not just as another pretty face. It's a short but sweet letter that you can read in its entirety here.

affordable Audrey style -- and are the new Wayfarers out already?

News is still very slow here -- is everyone on vacation but me? But there is a new boutique in Palo Alto, California, which has a very prominent Audrey style. While their website is still pretty bare bones for now, Vian Hunter is already making a name for themselves with their affordable, chic women's clothes. There's even an LBD (that's little black dress, for those of you who might be out of touch) named the Audrey! If you live nearby and stop in for a peek, you might even catch a glimpse of Audrey herself -- rather, a film of hers playing. And to make up for the website still being under construction, they have a printable colouring book with their designs to download, completely free. Information thanks to InsideBayArea.com.

And I've been breathlessly awaiting the new (and hopefully not improved) Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Last I heard, they were coming out at the beginning of 2007 amid much fanfare and inflated prices, but some online retailers claim to already have them. Among those selling the New Wayfarers: Sunglass Hut, for $89.95 ($139.95 for a special tortoiseshell frame); and Nordstrom's, black frame only, for $89.00.

FINALLY! New pictures, and the minute-long Gap commercial

Thankfully my home didn't decide to burn down (yet), so I was able to get up 229 pictures for you! This gallery is just miscelaneous pictures from throughout the 1950s, like modeling pictures and candids. You can go straight to the gallery by clicking here, if you'd like.


Next up, someone finally got the 60 second Gap commercial back on You Tube! I'll always kick myself for not downloading it right away. The sound isn't quite synched up at the beginning, but I'll take what I can get right now.

Edit: video has been removed from YouTube

I found a review of the new They All Laughed DVD on USA Today, and they didn't seem to care about it too much. It rated 2 1/2 stars out of four, and no bonus features are listed. (The only ones I know about so far are a commentary with director Peter Bogdanovich and an interview with him and fellow director/fan Wes Anderson.) You can see their review here, about halfway down the page.

And lastly, Ray-Ban is bringing back some classic shades. The Wayfarers, worn in many classic movies like The Blues Brothers and Breakfast at Tiffany's, is going to come back from the dead, for the price of $129. There's apparently going to be a pretty big media blitz to stir up more interest in the shades (and to try and get away with their major price inflation), so maybe we'll see some more use of Audrey in ad campaigns? The most important part of the story is here, but if you want to read more, you'll have to subscribe to The Wall Street Journal. Lame.



P.S. I'm having trouble deciding what I want to give away in the next contest, so maybe you could help us out! There's a poll on the contests page, so vote on what you'd like to see given away next. If you want to suggest something that's not listed, simply click on the "something not listed here" button, then drop us a line saying what you would like to see. We'll take all suggestions seriously, as long as you don't suggest us buying the Breakfast at Tiffany's dress and then giving it away. Don't you dare! :)