Our guides, Joe & Jac!

  

When I arrived there was a large group of nervous and excited guests, not sure what to expect, standing in Titanic: The Experience’s main lobby. Some had taken the tour before and the were whispering about things that had happened to them.

“We were walking through the room with the hot coal, and someone tapped me on my shoulder. No one was there, no one was behind me; I was the last one in the room!”

“I felt a tug on my skirt and thought it was my daughter, but she was standing with my husband by the Deck chair!”

“…the chain was moving, I swear it!”

“I saw it move too.”

Although because of the delicate condition of the artifacts, you aren’t allowed to take photographs inside the exhibit, one man had taken a picture of the Ghost Tour guides in the gift shop, and was brandishing his camera to friends asking, “Do you see the orb right there over his head? Look right there.”

Two actors, Jac and Joe, who were not in character this night, greeted us. They led us into the exhibit, explaining that tonight they were going to share not only the myths and true spooky stories about the great ship, but also the true creepy stories that have happened to them and the other folks who work at the exhibit.

We were able to walk through the entire exhibit – which alone is worth the price of admission in my opinion – while Jac and Joe told us about so many different real occurrences that I lost count. They also threw in tons of real history about the magnificent doomed vessel, and her crew and passengers. Our great storyteller guides took a large amount joy in debunking many of the crazy myths that have been handed down since the ship was being built, but the number of scary coincidences that are actually true in Titanic’s lore gives me the chills just remembering them as I write this.

I don’t want to recount the stories here because I want all of you to hear them for yourself first hand when you take the ghost tour (which you all should.) What I will tell you is that people on my tour were touched, there were cold spots in places that there should not have been, objects moved on their own (an old chain in a display case, and a flashlight that suddenly rolled by itself), and several people reported hearing their name called out.

In this day and age of splatter-gore haunted houses, and animatronic phony scares, the atmosphere that our tremendously talented guides built up with only their calm voices and their rich knowledge of Titanic and everything connected to her, was truly incredible. I can’t wait to do it again.

Titanic: The Experience gives their Ghost Tour every Thursday evening at 7PM. Their tickets do sell out so try to get yours in advance. For ticket prices on more information about this or their other awesome events and tours check out their website at: Titanic: The Experience

The picture included in this review is of Jac & Joe, our lovely guides. The doll they are pointing to has a spooky habit of relocating itself to all sorts of random places throughout the exhibit. How fortunate for us that she, like our guides, wasn’t camera shy.

For the first part of Christine’s shoot we went to her friends house where they had a REAL tiki bar in the basement of their house!  It was awesome and the perfect backdrop for her leapord print Betty Page outfit!  The second part of her shoot, T did a new do and we took her over to a lovely park by the beach in Cocoa.  She put on a red and white polka dot retro swimming suit and a chic vintage pair of white sunglasses and we had some more fun!!  Check out the results and let us know what you think!

Here is what Christine had to say when she saw her teaser images:

“OH MY SPARKLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot even begin to thank Kristen and Timarie enough for such a fantastic shoot. From the moment I contacted Kristen she was nothing but an amazing professional that was friendly, warm, and on top of every detail. From working with me on the pricing plan, to helping me decide on outfits, to being extrememly accommodating when I was concerned about shooting locations. Timarie and Kristen showed up on shooting day and it was an absolute blast….we gabbed and chatted like old girlfriends while Timarie spinned her magic transformation to doll me up like the inner bombshell I knew was in there. I have always loved retro and pinup and thought of myself as a pretty girl (with enough makeup that is), but these girls transformed me with pure magic into a bombshell vixen of yesteryear. I love that when I’m an old biddie in a nursing home I’ll be able to pull out these pics to show all the old fellas that I was quite the looker back in my day. They say a picutre is worth a thousand words. Well these pictures are worth their weight in gold and the words they are saying is “Hot damn, girl you are hot”! Thank you so very very very much!”

~Thank YOU Christine!  I think I speak for both Timarie and myself when I say we had a BLAST and you did an amazing job!  It was so lovely to meet you and can’t wait to do it again!

***One of Christine’s images was recently featured on pinuppost.com!!

Check it by CLICKING HERE

In Vibrant Color

The Exhibit In Vibrant Color: Vintage Celebrity Portraits from the Harry Warnecke Studio just opened up at the National Portrait Gallery a few weeks ago. This is a collection of color portraits the photographer did for the Sunday News magazine utilizing the one-shot camera he designed himself. There are 24 pieces on display spanning the ‘30’s through the ‘50’s featuring classic loves such as Gene Autry and Lucille Ball. Sounds amazing, right? I certainly thought so. However, many reviews I read on this exhibit have had unkind words to say. Many of the criticisms were of seeing these famous faces we’re used to seeing in black and white prominently in color. I suppose they felt like some of the magic was lost as though seeing a mascot character backstage without his head on. But being from an entertainment background, I wasn’t bothered at all. On the contrary, I found the images I saw to be a rare look into the real, unique souls of these wonderful people that shaped our world. In a small way, it was like the moment you stop seeing your parent as just being your parent and start seeing them as a person, too.

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/exhwarnecke.html
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/03/14/arts/design/13PORTRAIT.html

Review By: Pepper & Mary Mint * The Mint Chocolate Chippies
www.mintchocolatechippies.com

Smash is…well, a smash hit!

Brilliant. That is the one word I can use to describe the newest musical drama Smash on NBC. Simply brilliant.

I took the time last night to watch the first episode of Smash using my “On Demand” feature on the DVR. I had no desire to watch it, even though I should have. The advertisements just weren’t luring me in. I, quite frankly, chose to watch it because I was cleaning and needed something on in the background. Once it started, I was slowly & seductively drawn in.

Now, before I go into details, you are probably wondering what this has to do with our theme on BoudoirBomshells.com …right? I’m getting there, trust me.

The Broadway show that Julia (Debra Messing) creates is based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Once this was brought up, I was very skeptical and thought that the show was just trying to pull in viewers because everything lately has been Marilyn centered. Debra Messing’s character kept me watching because of one quote. As her character was arguing with her husband about wanting to be creatively involved in the production of the show, she said “You know what she [Marilyn] said in her last interview? ‘Please don’t make a joke out of me.’ There was something about her…how much she wanted to love and be loved.” Yes, that was the moment I stopped kind of paying attention and devoted all my focus to the program.

The songs are genius. The baseball song entitled “The National Pastime” is cute and the choreography is visually stunning. “Never Give All the Heart” is a beautiful ballad about Marilyn Monroe that is sung by the vocally breathtaking Ivy Lynn (played by Megan Hilty). Let’s not forget the modern songs though that are thrown into the mix. Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) belts out a mind-blowing version of Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” in the first episode.

I cannot wait for the next episode of Smash to watch these two lovely ladies (Ivy & Karen) compete against each other for the lead role as Marilyn in the new Broadway production. This show is a “home run” and I recommend anyone who is in the least bit infatuated with Marilyn Monroe tune in!

Review By: Mary & Pepper Mint * The Mint Chocolate Chippies
www.mintchocolatechippies.com

A new classic holiday record that sounds like a classic Rat Pack Christmas album?

Yes, Please!

Recently I purchased the Michael Bublé album appropriately titled Christmas.  I have been listening to it nonstop since Black Friday. (There is a strict rule in my house that we do not decorate, wrap presents, or start to celebrate the Christmas holiday until the previous one, Thanksgiving, has ended.)  The album is full of classic Christmas songs in the same nostalgic fashions of Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.  While there are a few new favorites, such as “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Bublé’s original song “Cold December Night”, the record feels like coming home for the holidays.

I want to focus for a bit on the rendition of “Jingle Bells” on the album.  Mr. Bublé is accompanied by The Puppini Sisters on this song.  If you do not know these ladies, Google them right now!  Then go to iTunes and buy one of their albums.  While they have their own sound, I can’t help but feel like these women are The Andrews Sisters reincarnate.  This track is probably my favorite one on the whole album.  It is definitely worth the cost of the album, be it on amazon.com, iTunes, or if you actually have a record store still open in your town.

In conclusion, if you are as obsessed with an old fashion Christmas as we are, you’ll love Michael Bublé’s Christmas.  Listening to the male version of “Santa Baby” will put a smile on any girl’s face.  This record truly puts you in the spirit of the season!

Review By: Mary & Pepper Mint * The Mint Chocolate Chippies
www.mintchocolatechippies.com