The first walk of the year on the Presidio's Batteries to Bluffs trail did not disappoint. The air was filled with sweet scents and birdsongs. Unlike last year there was no hemlock yet, but lots of flowers and other things I've seen for years and never tried to ID. This year I felt compelled to... Continue Reading →
James M. Cain Film Review – Three Books to Film
Here's my apologia. I understand that these movies were progressive in the 1940s, showing women in roles, whether good or bad, that were out of the societal norms of the time. I acknowledge that these movies are important, but I watch movies for entertainment value, with only a dash of intentions to round out my... Continue Reading →
The Birds, oh, the Birds!
My favorite cozy horror movie is The Birds. Not too much gore and blood, just enough. It's even more of a terror after learning that Alfred Hitchcock demanded that they re-shoot the scene where Tippi Hedren gets attacked by the birds, over and over again, to exact revenge on her because she didn't play into... Continue Reading →
Book Collection Update: Four Rambling Men and a Lady
My bibliomania is on high when a book fair is nearing and I usually do some "warm up" trips to local bookstores to get in the mood for the great hunt. The results from my favorite used books stores here in San Francisco--Green Apple Books, SF Public Library's Reader's Book Store at Fort Mason and... Continue Reading →
San Francisco Noir City Film Festival Time
On a warm February night in San Francisco the streets teemed with people, stressed looking salary men and women with their jaws clenched tight, raving lunatics with pants hanging just a little too south of the equator, and a distinct crowd of sharply dressed, hat wearing people. These haberdashery fans were my people, and they... Continue Reading →
San Francisco Poetry- The Cool, Grey City of Love by George Sterling
On this cold and grey day here in SF, I would like to share one of my favorite poems with you. Thanks for reading, Empress Norma
Antiquarian Book Fairs and Collecting
I'm a book person. I am surrounded by books and book related businesses. This has led me to become a casual collector of antiquarian books. Casual meaning I am not seeking to aquire every book in my chosen subjects. I buy a book when I come across one that I want and can afford. So... Continue Reading →
Film Noir in Color?
We're having our own personal San Francisco Noir film festival in our house as a warm up to the real noir festival coming soon, and found Portrait in Black on Youtube. We thought we had found the wrong movie because it was in color. Film noir in color (and with Sandra Dee in it)? Some people... Continue Reading →