Once When I Was

Not sure where she was off to in that sweet little chiffon black and white number but she looks amazing well into her 80s.  Here she shows off her mink coat that she never gets to wear but she said she wore it all the time in New York.   It is in mint condition.  Just like her. 

Hope everyone enjoyed my day of Kitty.  Go call your grandparents and tell them you love them!

This is the welcome I get when I go to visit.  It’s not always so marvelously color coordinated but it’s always marvelous. 

I mean really, how freakin’ cute!?

Kitty grew up on the stage in London.  As a teenager she toured in plays where she sang and danced.  The life as a performer ended when they left London and moved to New York.  But the life of a dancer has never faded.  She stayed fit by practicing yoga and up until most recently she would go dancing at the Moose Lodge.  She told me her dance card was always full.  Here she is wearing an embroidered gold sequin circle skirt I have drooled over for years.  She keeps saying I need to get my grubby paws off and wait for when she goes to her great reward. 

To this day, every time I visit Nana she tells me how blessed she is to live in such a beautiful place as Hollywood, Florida.  I think this stems from her growing up in London in times of war.  To end up in endless sunshine must be the greatest outcome.  I grew up learning to swim in her pool and eating cucumber sandwiches.  This romper sums up that time perfectly; tan arms and short shorts and that perfect smile. 

I don’t think this is the same outfit.  I recall her telling me the one where she is sitting is actually a jumpsuit.  A chic red jumpsuit.  That was at Christmastime and she is drinking a Bailey’s on the rocks. 

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How fantastic is Grandpa Norman’s smirk in the photo below?  I love that on New Year’s Eve they wore corsages and boutonnieres!  Stunning. 

Here is Nana Kitty in the 70’s with Uncle Terry, who is older than my Dad (on the far right) and as you can tell much more sophisticated with his poly print shirt compared to Dad in his rock-n-roll baseball ringer tee.  Talk about Williamsburg hipsters, serious ‘stache is happening here!  Grandpa Norman looks straight up Hollywood Beach in the white shorts.  Best of all is Nana Kitty’s crocheted dress.  Her sister Sally was a great knitter and designer so lots of her snazziest outfits were made by her sister.  This is a perfect example. 

(Those pictures on the wall behind them are still up in her house!)

This is the only photo I could find of her as a grown woman with a different hairstyle.  She went big for a day.  For a photo, at least.  Must be the 60’s. 

We need to take a moment to talk about her outfits in these photos.  I know it was the way of the times to dress proper.  How amazing is that coat with the fur collar and giant buttons?  Marc Jacobs, eh-hem.  And look at her on the beach in those platforms with the wristlet purse, the pink jacket and the pose.  She is killing me. 

Nana reflects on this photo of her with my dad and uncle.  She is in her 20’s here and they are probably living in the city on east 55th street or upstate in Katonah. She moved from London with my grandfather, uncle and father in the Forties to escape the war. 

No one is more inspiring to me than this woman.  My Nana (Grandmother) Kitty Lee.  Lucky for me she doesn’t have a computer or understand the internet, hell, when I call she rushes me off the phone because of long distance charges but that’s besides the point.  The point is she would kill me if she knew I was going to post photos of her all day in honor of her amazing and beautiful 90 years on this planet. 

Get ready, it’s Nana Kitty day over at OWIW. 

This one looks like it is a passport photo and it must be late 60’s / early 70’s by the look of that collar.  But hello, red polka dots!  This has been Kitty’s hair style since she was a teenager.