“I, John, take you Jacqueline…”
"Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot,
for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot"
~ Lerner and Loewe
With early-fall cool breezes and blue skies overhead, late summer is a perfect time of year to steal someone's heart and get hitched.
It was just that when John Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier tied the knot. And could there have been a more swellegant place to do it than in Newport, Rhode Island - the warm weather capital of American high-society and a Mecca for the wealthiest of the wealthiest?
If you’re planning to say "I do" there, too, you might find yourself rubbing elbows with the Astors or Vanderbilts, eying the mega-bling from Tiffany, Cartier or Van Cleef & Arpels, viewing magnificent flower arrangements, nibbling a five-tier wedding cake, waving to three thousand well wishers outside the church, greeting a thou’ or two of your nearest and dearest after the ceremony, holding closely to your perfect mate, and - depending on whether you really want one or not – wearing a memorable, original, handmade silk wedding gown.
After makin’ eyes at her “Mr. Right” and dreaming of walking the new ball-n-chain down the aisle, Jacqueline Bouvier, expected, and surely got, the prescribed “three-ring circus” when she married John F. Kennedy. (And why not…they were a match made in heaven.) Ms. “O” was then a beautiful young columnist with a camera who wrote "Inquiring Camera Girl" for The Washington Times-Herald, and JFK was the newly elected senator from Massachusetts.
Before twelve hundred people, on September 12, 1953 they took their vows and sealed it with those two little words, at St. Mary’s Church, the oldest Roman Catholic parish in Newport. And thus began their picture-perfect life together, filled with Pulitzer Prizes, the creation of the Peace Corps, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the 35th US Presidency, the Space Program, a complete restoration of the White House, and two wonderful children.
But on your big day, what if butter-cream or bubbly lands on your wedding dress? In that situation, it’s often best to think, “WWJD” - “What would Jackie Do?” Even the memorable handmade silk “Camelot” wedding gown worn by Jacqueline Bouvier-Kennedy might have been the object of a nuptial mishap. Had it happened to Jackie, though, she would have breathed deep, found her center, cooled her jets, and evaluated the situation by saying “How bad can it be?”
Out of control Bride-zilla or a calm and collected Bouvier, make sure you use the correct remedy for your stains. For red wine, softly dab at the spill with a clean dry white cloth followed by again dabbing with the spot with a damp white cloth and then dab some more. (Don’t rub!) If it’s still visible add just a dash of white vinegar, and continue to blot. To camouflage the remaining offense, sprinkle the area with baking soda…nobody will notice.
"Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot,
for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot"
~ Lerner and Loewe
With early-fall cool breezes and blue skies overhead, late summer is a perfect time of year to steal someone's heart and get hitched.
It was just that when John Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier tied the knot. And could there have been a more swellegant place to do it than in Newport, Rhode Island - the warm weather capital of American high-society and a Mecca for the wealthiest of the wealthiest?
If you’re planning to say "I do" there, too, you might find yourself rubbing elbows with the Astors or Vanderbilts, eying the mega-bling from Tiffany, Cartier or Van Cleef & Arpels, viewing magnificent flower arrangements, nibbling a five-tier wedding cake, waving to three thousand well wishers outside the church, greeting a thou’ or two of your nearest and dearest after the ceremony, holding closely to your perfect mate, and - depending on whether you really want one or not – wearing a memorable, original, handmade silk wedding gown.
After makin’ eyes at her “Mr. Right” and dreaming of walking the new ball-n-chain down the aisle, Jacqueline Bouvier, expected, and surely got, the prescribed “three-ring circus” when she married John F. Kennedy. (And why not…they were a match made in heaven.) Ms. “O” was then a beautiful young columnist with a camera who wrote "Inquiring Camera Girl" for The Washington Times-Herald, and JFK was the newly elected senator from Massachusetts.
Before twelve hundred people, on September 12, 1953 they took their vows and sealed it with those two little words, at St. Mary’s Church, the oldest Roman Catholic parish in Newport. And thus began their picture-perfect life together, filled with Pulitzer Prizes, the creation of the Peace Corps, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the 35th US Presidency, the Space Program, a complete restoration of the White House, and two wonderful children.
But on your big day, what if butter-cream or bubbly lands on your wedding dress? In that situation, it’s often best to think, “WWJD” - “What would Jackie Do?” Even the memorable handmade silk “Camelot” wedding gown worn by Jacqueline Bouvier-Kennedy might have been the object of a nuptial mishap. Had it happened to Jackie, though, she would have breathed deep, found her center, cooled her jets, and evaluated the situation by saying “How bad can it be?”
Out of control Bride-zilla or a calm and collected Bouvier, make sure you use the correct remedy for your stains. For red wine, softly dab at the spill with a clean dry white cloth followed by again dabbing with the spot with a damp white cloth and then dab some more. (Don’t rub!) If it’s still visible add just a dash of white vinegar, and continue to blot. To camouflage the remaining offense, sprinkle the area with baking soda…nobody will notice.
For oily stains - from makeup to meat-sauce - sprinkle the area liberally with baking soda, sit patiently for about ten minutes (remembering to smile!), and then shake the excess off while you’re out on the dance floor.
Getting hitched, popping the question, setting a date or just settling down - it all starts with whispering sweet nothings in someone's ear. And if your day is as perfect as Jackie’s and John’s - with a “Camelot spot” or without, remember that once the confetti’s been swept away and the rental chairs have been returned, you married the dude not the dress.
Michael De Jong, is the author of “CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing,” (www.zencleansing.com) produced by Joost Elffers Design and published in 2007 by Sterling Publishers. He lives in Jersey City with his partner, dog and three goldfish, all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in “CLEAN” because of his own allergic reactions to commercial cleaning products, and he is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by a family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of “CLEAN” books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly blog on Hearst Publishing’s first online magazine, “The Daily Green” (www.thedailygreen.com). De Jong is also “Ask Mr. Green” for NBC-Universal’s new eco-website www.GreenIsUniversal.com where you can send him your questions about housecleaning problems. “CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing” can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com. “CLEAN” is also an online course about “zen-cleansing” at Latitude U (www.LatitudeU.com). Please consider the environment.
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