Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Charlie's Goes Proper

Foxfields 2006. (Outside of Virginia for those of you who haven't experienced it yet...) It was a day filled with Beirut challenges and frozen drinks made with our 2 stroke, pull start blender. I was tired to say the least.
Cleanup is never any fun after a day like this...but on this particular day, the HANDSOMEST of boys comes up and starts asking me questions about CK Bradley. All I could think was DAMN I'm in the right business! I'm not sure what lured him in..the smell of oil and gas from the 2 stroke, the sticky beaten up Beirut table, the skulls on my cowboy hat...Next thing you know, he was helping ME CLEAN UP!!! Southern boys I LOVE YOU!!!
His name was Charlie Holderness. And he will go down as one of my favorite CKB fans. In fact...he is one of the reasons I love what I do SO MUCH. (Charlie on the Far right in CKB Bowtie and belt)

Charlie entered a CK Bradley contest and won a spot in our Newport Scavenger Hunt in 2006. Then in 2007 he came on our race from NYC to Tennessee in CK Bradley's Banditball.
Charlie and the Judges
Charlie in the beginnings of his modeling career...
Why is it that my version of a 'Charlie photo shoot' is him in orange Dickies and NOT CKB Men's stuff? Arghhhh. One day I will learn....because look at him NOW!!!

Oh Charlie!
Charlie is featured in this months Southern Proper Catalog. I am impressed with SP...they have an original flare that blends Preppy with a side of European. Great cuts, more sophisticated prints...and good looking models.

From Dickies to Southern Proper...Charlie you make us all look good!
(Charlie is tying the knot in June 2010...Congratulations C-Holds!)

-Still Loving Dickies, bradley

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Family Zoo

I grew up with A LOT of animals. (brother David with Shep above)

We had turtles in the guest bedroom we'd use as doorstops. I realized that wasn't normal when one guest commented "wherever did we get those wonderful doorstops on casters?" All I could think how come she didn't know it was a turtle...doesn't she have one at home?

Then there were the Weeder Geese. My Mom got these because they ONLY ate weeds in the garden! Brilliant addition to any garden...BUT they were a bit loud. Mom and Dad tried to set them free at the local goose pond, but when they drove away, the pair of geese flew behind the car. So? We kept them.

There were the snakes in the basement. I know....yuck. But we never had a mouse, and the snakes kept to themselves. Except when our next door neighbor in Alpine, NJ came over to complain about the Weeder Geese waking her up with their squawks in the morning. This lady was rather portly and barged right into the living room which was closed off for the Winter. It just so happened that this was where Tiny Alice, a 6' Milk Snake, hibernated in during the colder months. Our neighbor plopped herself down on the couch and my Mom sat across from her. All of the sudden Mom saw Tiny Alice's head come up behind one of the cushions. The neighbors bum must have warmed up the couch so well that Tiny Alice assumed it was springtime and the end of hibernation. Well, THANK GOODNESS for Tiny Alice! The neighbor disappeared as fast as she'd appeared and never complained about the Weeder Geese again. I guess the snake took the wind out of her.
Then there was the friend of my Dad who was DYING for a baby Ocelot. My Dad had some connections at the Zoo and discovered that it was illegal to import 1 Ocelot, but there was no rule against bringing in a pair! Brilliance. 2 baby Ocelots arrived in our apartment and we named them Abercrombie and Bitch. The guy who wanted the Ocelot took the female, Bitch, and we kept Abby.
Abby and Mom at Awosting Lake in the Gunks.
Abby was a great addition to the family animals until he became a mature male and sprayed the apartment in NYC. We lived in a penthouse on 95th and Park, and the ENTIRE place reaked of wild cat urine The apartment happened to be on the market, so the timing was AWFUL. Mom baked bread during every showing in order to cover up the smell of the baby leopard becoming male in a space that was not quite as expansive as the outdoors.
There were the bunnies when I was a wee one...
Neisha the German Shepherd who delivered 9 pups in our NYC apartment. Margo and I are on the couch with a couple of them.

And then Nipper, the Dashound.
And of course the Parrots. This one was named Max. He lived for 40 years, and was brought back from the jungle of Venezuela on my Dad's shoulder in the plane...in the days when that was allowed.

There have been so MANY more animals that have come in and out of my life...but this is a good start for a friday. When I find more pics, I'll write more.

-Zoo in My Luggage, Bradley


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Tigger and Tula

Tula...

The newest addition to the CK Bradley models and mascots, Kodiak, has been affectionately renamed Tallulah. I was having issues with the name Kodiak, since she has proved to be not as tom boyish as I had expected...giving proof that dogs do not always reflect their owners...

Needless to say, Dad told me a story about a woman who pulled him into her limo wearing a mink and nothing underneath. He later finds out after this provocative introduction, that she is Talullah Bankhead, a well known actress at the time...Dad has never been good with recognizing famous people, and Tallulah was no exception...the story however of the mink and limo abduction has been told many a time, and the name Talullah is rather well known in our family because of it!

And I just plain like it for Kodiak. After all, Kodiak wears a fur coat at all times with not much but bare skin beneath right? So Kodi's new name: Kodiak Talullah Bear. We will call her Tula for short. Hope you approve.

Actress Talullah Bankhead in the '50's

-Ready to Bare All, Bradley


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New CK Bradley Model...

I unexpectedly became a mother this New Years...and THAT changes your life OVERNIGHT. So if you wonder why I haven't been blogging, it is because I haven't had a moment to myself between furry love and jealous feathers. (Tigger likes his new sister...video to come.)
Her name is Kodiak...Kodi for short. 3 month old Bernese Mountain Dog. If I were Native American(and according to my Dad I am....but not enough to have helped me get into Dartmouth) I would call her Sleep Stealer Smile Maker Love Giver Whimperer.

She doesn't flinch with the toys I have bought her...but give her a pile of belts and POOF! Entertainment for minutes. Yes minutes. Hopefully one day it will be hours. But I will take minutes for now.

Sleeping....look at those legs stretched out!
I figure it's not long before Kodi can't fit under anything because she's bigger than EVERYTHING... So she'd better get her fill now!
Puppy Paws...Can they get any pinker and brand spanking NEW?

Anyway, I am crate training her, and I hear SO many mixed reviews...if any of you have input on NOT crate training I'd love to hear it.

-Tired and Finding it hard to get ANYTHING Done, Bradley